Milan stay defiant amid fan protests

Milan fans protested against the club's hierarchy at the first day of pre-season training yesterday after owner Silvio Berlusconi said the team remained the strongest in Italy. Around 100 supporters outside the training ground chanted slogans and held...

Milan fans protested against the club's hierarchy at the first day of pre-season training yesterday after owner Silvio Berlusconi said the team remained the strongest in Italy.

Around 100 supporters outside the training ground chanted slogans and held up banners criticising the club's transfer policy following the sale of Kaka to Real Madrid and the lack of big name signings during the close season.

Brazil defender Thiago Silva, signed in January but ineligible to play competitive games until the season starts in August, will replace retired centre back Paolo Maldini but otherwise Milan have only recruited promising youngsters.

"No one in Italy from a technical point of view has a squad as strong as ours... not even champions Inter," Berlusconi told Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Rossoneri, third in Serie A last term and without a scudetto since 2004, hope to sign a striker soon with Real's Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Sevilla's Luis Fabiano, Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko in the frame.

But Berlusconi said Milan would not be pressured into paying overflated prices after Real splashed out €67 million ($94 million) on playmaker Kaka and a world record $130 million for Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Football should return to normality," the Italian prime minister said. "We should not buy at any cost."

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