Buoyant Milan back in Malta

Buoyed by their 3-2 victory over Juventus and the presence of president Silvio Berlusconi on the San Siro pitch during the presentation of the Luigi Berlusconi Cup on Saturday evening, Milan yesterday returned to Malta for the second part of their training camp.

The Air Malta flight from Malpensa touched down at 3 p.m. and another rousing welcome awaited the players at the airport.

On Saturday, a late goal by 19-year-old striker Willy Aubameyang secured Milan's first win in 2007 at the expense of Juventus, this season playing in the Serie B.

Milan had taken a 29th-minute lead through Filippo Inzaghi but Juventus, inspired by the experienced trio of Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Pavel Nedved, made a bold comeback.

Nedved put Juve level and Del Piero nodded them ahead midway through the second half. Clarence Seedorf equalised soon after and Aubameyang, on as a second-half substitute, stole the limelight when heading home Andrea Pirlo's cross four minutes from the end of an interesting contest.

Four prominent players who took part in the first part of the headline-grabbing training camp here were not in Milan's travelling party yesterday.

Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Filippo Inzaghi and Alberto Gilardino stayed behind as today, they will form part of Italy's World Cup winning squad for a presentation ceremony at the Palazzo Quirinale.

Giorgio Napolitano, the Italian President, will honour those athletes who won gold in their respective sporting discipline in the last two years.

Alessandro Nesta, the Milan defender who was also a member of Italy's World Cup party in Germany, is expected to link up with his international team-mates in Rome.

Nesta has not been included in Milan's squad for the training camp as he is currently undergoing rehabilitation from injury.

Young Argentine defender Leandro Grimi, Milan's most recent signing, arrived in Malta with the rest of the Rossoneri squad that also included Ricardo Oliveira.

On arriving in Malta, Milan headed straight to the Radisson Golden Sands Resort where some of the players went through a light training session.

Milan will resume their normal routine today with another two training sessions, one starting at 9.30 a.m. and the other at 3 p.m. at Ta' Qali.

This evening, a delegation consisting of Milan players and coaches, will attend a function at the Adidas/Eurosport Stores in Birkirkara.

From a local perspective, the climax of Milan's sojourn in Malta will be reached tomorrow evening when the six-times European Cup winners take on Birkirkara, the Maltese champions, in a friendly match at the National Stadium.

Meanwhile, Milan coach Ancelotti and his technical collaborators met with members from the Malta coaching staff, headed by Dusan Fitzel, the national coach and technical director, at the Radisson Golden Sands Resort yesterday evening.

The coaches of the 10 Premier League teams were also invited to meet up with the staff coaches of Milan.