Robinho's goal moves AC Milan closer to the Scudetto; dedicates victory to newly born son Gianluca

Robinho scored a crucial late goal for AC Milan to give them a 1-0 victory over Brescia and send them eight points clear in Serie A. With Pato out injured, and Ibrahimovic sidelined because of a red card, the Rossoneri started with the strike partnership of Cassano and Robinho. Cassano and Robinho both had multiple opportunities to score throughout the game, but a combination of poor finishing and fine saves from the Brescia keeper kept the scoreline at 0-0 until the 82nd minute. With less than ten minutes remaining, Seedorf dispatched a long range pass that found Cassano on the right flank. Cassano, in turn, found Robinho bursting forward down the left, diagonally heading towards goal. The Brazilian coolly controlled the pass from Cassano and slotted the ball behind the diving keeper to score his 12th league goal of the season. After the match, Robinho dedicated the goal to his recently born second son, Gianluca: "A crucial goal which is worth the Scudetto. I am overjoyed and I dedicate it to my son. Playing alongside Cassano isn't difficult. He is extremely skillful; we had already played together at Real Madrid and now we are playing very well. We really need to improve in front of goal, though." AC Milan now sit eight points clear of Inter, who won 2-1 over Lazio, with four games remaining in the season. Napoli dropped to third place after suffering a 2-1 loss to Palermo.

Leonardo appointed coach of Inter Milan

Former Brazilian international, World Cup champion and AC Milan manager Leonardo has been hired as coach of Inter Milan, just one day after the termination of Rafael Benitez's contract. Benitez's termination marked the end of a 6 month stint after the Spaniard took over from Jose Mourinho, who secured a historic treble with the club by winning Serie A, the Champions League and Coppa Italia in the 2009-2010 season. Defending champions Inter are currently in seventh place in Italy's Serie A, with 23 points from 15 games, while arch-rivals AC Milan sit atop the league with 36 points from 17 games. Leonardo's previous coaching experience is limited to the 2009-2010 season with AC Milan, as a result of which his team finished third in Serie A. The Brazilian is known for creating stylish, attack oriented teams that play with a 4-3-3 formation where possible. Like his compatriots Luiz Felipe Scolari and Zico, Leonardo's coaching philosophy is fundamentally Brazilian with its emphasis on one touch passing, dribbling through defenders and taking the attack to the opposing team. The Brazilian left AC Milan as coach after failing to get along with club President Silvio Berlusconi. Leonardo's appointment as coach of Inter Milan stuns the football world given his long standing history as player, scout, technical director and coach of the club's foremost rival, AC Milan. His appointment runs from December 29, 2010 until June 2012.

For an article on Leonardo and World Cup 1994, see:
Bringing Back the Beautiful Game: Flashback: Tears of Regret and Friendship: Bebeto and Leonardo in World Cup 1994

Boateng, Robinho and Ibrahimovic score in AC Milan's 3-0 victory over Bologna

Kevin Prince Boateng, Robinho and Ibrahimovic scored for the second consecutive game as AC Milan beat Bologna 3-0 today to go 6 points clear over Juventus at the top of Italy's Serie A standings. The sequence of goals by Boateng, Robinho and Ibrahimovic replicated their performance against Brescia on December 4 while Ronaldinho continued his stint on the Milan bench in the wake of Robinho's sparkling form. Boateng opened the scoring for the Rossoneri by latching onto a ball delivered by Ibrahimovic from the left flank, slipping in between two central defenders in the box and volleying the ball home. Boateng subsequently provided the assist for Robinho who maintained his balance in the wake of some staunch defending from Andrea Esposito and slotted the ball by Bologna keeper Viviano in the 35th minute. Ibrahimovic put the exclamation mark on an impressive victory for AC Milan in the 60th minute with a clinical strike on goal from the right flank. With 21 goals shared between Ibrahimovic, Pato and Robinho this season (9 for Ibrahimovic, 6 for Pato and 6 for Robinho), Massimilliano Allegri has reason to be more than satisfied with his strikeforce as the Rossoneri prepare for their final game of 2010 against Roma on Saturday, December 18. As the January transfer window opens, the obvious question now for Allegri and Berlusconi concerns Ronaldinho's future at the Rossoneri in the wake of Robinho's impressive form and Pato's anticipated return from injury early in 2011.