‘It makes me sad that we don’t see them in the latter stages of the Champions League’: Brazil icon Kaka bemoans plight of AC and Inter Milan in Europe on eve of San Siro derby
- AC Milan take on bitter rivals Inter in a city derby at the San Siro on Sunday night
- Kaka, who previously played for AC Milan, bemoaned the fall of the two sides
- Inter are rebuilding and are pushing Juventus for the Serie A title this season
- But both have fallen away when it comes to competing in the Champions League
Former AC Milan star Kaka has revealed his frustrations at the fall of the Milanese teams when it comes to the Champions League.
The Brazilian icon won Europe’s premier club competition in 2006-07 but the Rossoneri have not lifted the trophy since.
Bitter rivals Inter Milan, under Jose Mourinho in 2009-10, are the only other Italian side to win the tournament since Kaka was part of the side that beat Liverpool 2-1 in Athens and he is frustrated at the current plight of the city’s teams.
AC Milan have fallen on hard times in recent years and are not in the Champions League
Inter Milan last won Europe’s top gong in 2009-10 and have been rebuilding ever since then
‘Both clubs are historic teams, Milan is a beautiful city and Italy is a wonderful country,’ Kaka told Gazzetta dello Sport. ‘It makes me sad that we don’t see the Milanese teams in the latter stages of the Champions League.
‘I believe that it is a vicious cycle, with the revenue from the Champions League, you can buy better players and return to the highest level.’
Kaka spoke on a number of topics ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated Milanese derby at the San Siro.
AC Milan are yet to lose a game since the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Inter need to win to keep the pressure on Juventus and Lazio in the title race.
More to follow.
Kaka (pictured playing for AC Milan in 2014) was speaking on the eve of the Milan derby