MILAN ON FACEBOOK BREAKS FIVE MILLION

Another landmark for Milan as the official facebook page breaks the 5million fan mark.

MILAN - Milan now has more that 5million fans on its official facebook page.

The Rossoneri social network has become the most famous in the world with daily updates in Italian and English - news, breaking news, photos, videos and exclusive content.

Milan is the team in Italy with the most facebook users and is 8th in world rankings. Other forms of social media used by AC Milan include twitter (twitter.com/acmilan), flickr(http://www.flickr.com/photos/acmilanofficial/sets/) and youtube (www.youtube.com/milanchannel).

DJOKOVIC VISITS MILANELLO

Nole Djokovic, who is a huge Milan fan, was at Milanello today to meet and greet the players.

MILANO - This morning at 11.40 Nole Djokovic paid a visit to Milanello to meet the players of his team. The world number one tennis player, fresh from his victory at Wimbledon, spoke exclusively to Milan Channel. This is what he said:

"It is a very special day for me, I'll never forget it. I have always been a Milan fan and this is my first time at Milanello. It is an incredible sports centre, very big and it has everything a top team, the most successful in the world, needs and i have always admired them. My father was a Milan fan and he passed on his passion for the club to me when I was just a kid...
In Dubai, durin Milan's winter training camp, I got to meet Ibrahimovic and we said to each other that if Milan won the scudetto I would have won Wimbledon and it became a reality!
Now both I and Milan have new ambitions. After winning the scudetto the team is now ready for the Champions League and I am ready to remain number one in the world for as long as possible. I am a huge fan of all the players here, not just Ibra who is my idol. Cassano, Pato, Robinho and Seedorf...and even legendary players like Gattuso and Ambrosini, Nesta and Inzaghi. Now that I have met them all there is even more reason for me to keep being a fan of this team. Now that I have had the chance to visit Milanello and I have seen how they work I know why they have such high hopes for the up-coming season and I think they will deinitely win a trophy..." ( acmilan.com )

POSITIVE START

There was a party atmosphere at Solbiate Arno for Milan's first outing of the season as the Rossoneri ran out 12-0 winners and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who looked sharp, socred twice.

(In the photo: Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action at Solbiatese)

MILAN - Milan enjoyed a positive start to their pre-season series of friendlies with a 12-0 against semi-professional side Solbiatese Arno Calcio at the stadio Felice Chinetti di Solbiate Arno. The goalscorers were Seedorf (3'), Viscomi (og, 4'), Cassano (5'), Valoti (11'), Flamini (13'), Ibrahimovic (29') and Ibrahimovic again (40') Paloschi (48'), Zambrotta (59'), Emanuelson (69'), Inzaghi (77'), Comi (84').

Coach Massimiliano Allegri pulled something of a surprise by starting Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassno although both players reacted well which is a positive sign ahead of the Italian Super Cup in Beijing on August 6th against Inter.

The Swede, in particular, looked sharp and scored twice in the first half as well as setting up three goals plus the final ball for the own goal and no doubt had benefited from the extra time off, having only come back to training on July 18th.

Allegri used his full ratio of players including youth players Valoti, De Sciglio, Fossati, Ferreira and Comi as well as new signing Taye Taiwo, who looks to have settled into the Milan style of play immediately.

There was a positive showing from Filippo Inzaghi who was returning from a long injury lay-off and the striker also found the back of the net. Overall, it was a good all-round display ahead of the Audi Cup on Tuesday, July 26th at Bayern Munich.

Here are the Milan line-ups from the match:

First half: Abbiati (Amelia), Antonini, Nesta, Oddo, Taiwo, Flamini, Van Bommel, Seedorf, Valoti, Ibrahimovic, Cassano.

Second half: Amelia (Roma), Abate, Bonera, Ferreira(De Sciglio), Zambrotta (Fossati), Gattuso, Ambrosini, Emanuelson, Boateng, Paloschi (Comi), Inzaghi.

KEEP IT GOING

Adriano Galliani, Massimiliano Allegri and Filippo Inzaghi talked about the match at the end of the friendly played in Solbiate Arno.

(IN THE PHOTO: Massimiliano Allegri and Adrinao Galliani on the bench during the friendly)

MILAN - At the end of today's friendly at Solbiate Arno, Adrinao Galliani, Massimiliano Allegri and Filippo Inzaghi who scored gave their thoughts on the game:

Adriano Galliani: "Milan is in really good shape and the team is 99% complete on the transfer market so we are relaxed. We have no plans to sign or sell a player. I can reassure the fans that Silvio Berlusconi loves Milan like he did from the first day. Nothing has changed and nothing will change. The separation of Fininvest lies neither in the sky or on earth. Yesterday there was a dinner with the President where he intended to set the budget for 2011. I think Pirlo could be replaced by the midfielders who are already in the squad. If someone arrives then it will be a midfielder. There are no negotiations for Montolivo as we do not want to disturb the Della Valle family. There are no negotiations for Hamsik and we have never asked for him. There will be a place for an non-European Union player but it will not be Ganso."

Massimiliano Allegri: "Ibra and Cassano needed a workout so I decided to start them together. They played well and were on top of the match. Being angry is normal for Ibra, it is part of his character, he has always given his best and and gets the same out of his team-mates. Taiwo has only been with us for nine days but we has been working hard and still does not speak good Italian, he will also adapt to Italian football. I will now work with the players I have available, the squad is full. Pirlo has gone so we have to replace him with a big name. El Shaarawy had inflammation of the patellar tendon in the knee. Cassano is a Milan player who has returned with great enthusiasm and desire."

Filippo Inzaghi: "People know what I have gone through with my knee and supported me. It will take time to see the usual Inzaghi again, but the knee is stable and today I played my first 45 minutes for eight months. The league title has brought enthusiasm and we must exploit that to the utmost to win the Super Cup against Inter. Paloschi is already a good player even if he is young, he will make his way, and I hope he will wear the number nine shirt because he will certainly wear it with honour."

Milan: No interest in Ganso, Montolivo

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has denied the club are set to sign Ganso or Riccardo Montolivo.

GettyImagesGanso: Could stay in Brazil until January

Santos midfielder Ganso has been expected to move to the San Siro all summer, personally declaring his desire to play for Milan. And after Fiorentina admitted defeat in their bid to hold on to Montolivo it was though he too would switch to the Serie A champions.

Galliani is adamant that the rumours will amount to nothing although new signings could be in the pipeline before the transfer window closes next month.

"There are no negotiations in place to sign Montolivo,'' Galliani told the club's official website. "Milan does have a vacant place for a non-European player but it's not Ganso.

"If another player was to arrive it would be a midfielder. However, I believe that [Andrea] Pirlo can be replaced by a player that we already have in our squad. Right now we are happy with what we have and the team is 99% complete.

"If a player was to arrive, one of our players would have to leave.''

The Rossoneri have not made a big splash in the transfer market this summer, with Philippe Mexes, Taye Taywo and Stephan El Shaarawy their only new additions. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has moved permanently from Barcelona but he was at the club last season.