Playmaker Kaka received a standing ovation from the San Siro crowd after marking his 300th Milan appearance with two goals in a 3-0 win over hapless Chievo Verona in Serie A.

The Brazilian produced a simple finish in the 27th minute and curled in a stunning long-range goal nine minutes after the break.

Mario Balotelli had volleyed the opener after four minutes as Milan continued their mini revival to climb to ninth place, level with Lazio on 42 points.

Clarence Seedorf's Milan have now gone three matches without defeat, a sequence that has offered the Dutch coach a reprieve after media speculation over his future.

Chievo, who missed an injury-time penalty through Cyril Thereau, never looked like notching their first win over Milan at the San Siro.

The visitors gave an insipid display and are fifth from bottom on 27 points, three points clear of the relegation zone and one ahead of Bologna who were brushed aside 2-0 by red-hot Atalanta.

Two goals in six first-half minutes from Giuseppe De Luca and Marcelo Estigarribia gave Atalanta their sixth straight victory, a club record run that has lifted them to seventh place on 46 points.

Napoli, in third, host runaway leaders Juventus tomorrow while second-placed Roma travel to relegation-threatened Sassuolo.