JustChelsea.com

The ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is so excited about being in the World Cup final, and believes that it will even be a better experience than when Liverpool came from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan in the Champions League Final in Istanbul a few years ago. He plays for Real Madrid now, but there is nothing that could possibly match tonights game.

It has been widely reported that Chelsea were keen to make a £50m bid for the former World-Player-of-the-Year Kaka as it seemed he had fallen out of favour at Real Madrid. The incoming manager Jose Mourinho was believed to want to sell Kaka to raise the funds for him to bring in his own targets, but the Portugese manager has announced that he wants Kaka to stay at the Bernabeau, and he believes he can restore the confidence of the Brazilian star.

According to a report in todays Mail, the young AC Milan striker Pato is set to join Chelsea this summer in £43m deal. Carlo Ancelotti’s old club are being reported as in financial difficulties and the easiest way for them to balance the books is to sell the young Brazilian on to the highest bidder.

The Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti feels that the strongest team they could draw in the first knockout round of the Champions League is likely to be Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan, closely followed by Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

Obviously he is not keen to have an emotional return to his old club AC Milan, so soon after leaving, but he says he will deal with it if it happens.

Now that the Champions League Group Stages are finally over we can all look forward to a feast of football in the New Year when the knockout stages come around.

So who are Chelsea likely to want to avoid the next round in February?

There are no easy games at this stage of the competition, but out of the seven possible opponents, I would imagine that Carlo Ancelotti would be reasonably happy if his team drew Stuttgart, Olympiakos or CSKA Moscow, although the last named would mean a long cold trip.

The AC Milan star midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has voiced his displeasure at being left out of the Milan team, and indicated that he would be looking for a new club soon if the situation didn’t improve.

He said: I’m Rino Gattuso and I shouldn’t have to wait until someone is injured to be able to play.

The young AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has been dogged by rumours that he would be following his old manager Carlo Ancelotti to Stamford Bridge, but the young Brazilian has decided to finish the speculation once and for all.

The highly promising 20 year-old has announced that he has signed a new contract extension which will keep him at Milan for at least another five years, and he intends to honour that agreement.

The young AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has said in an interview that he loved working with his “father-figure” Carlo Ancelotti, and he wouldn’t rule out joining up with him again in the future, and would also like to work in England at some pount in his career.

Pato said: “It might happen, it might not. I’m fascinated by football in England and Spain. I love the colour and enthusiasm for the game in those countries and they have so many players that I rate as world-class. I have to admit I love travelling and enjoying new experiences.

The Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is looking forward to facing Rafael Benitez again after twice coming up against him in the Champions League Final. The first time was the amazing comeback by Liverpool when they were 3-0 down to Ancelotti’s AC Milan, but that result was reversed two years later in another final.

“I don’t remember 2005!” Ancelotti joked. “If you want I can remember 2007! Maybe Rafa remembers 2005, and doesn’t remember 2007!”

According to the Daily Mirror this morning, Chelsea are still in the hunt for the AC Milan star Pato, but he won’t be allowed to leave the San Siro until next summer.

The report said: Chelsea aim to sign Brazilian prodigy Alexandre Pato in a £40million deal – but not until next summer.

Carlo Ancelotti and the Stamford Bridge hierarchy have earmarked the 19-year-old striker as the man to supply the missing link in the Italian’s masterplan to become Europe’s dominant force.