Kaka stays positive

Kaka scored two excellent individual goals to put Milan 2-1 up at half-time, but a brace by Wayne Rooney - including an injury-time winner - gave United a 3-2 lead into the second leg.

But Brazil star Kaka is still confident of reaching the Champions League final in Athens next month.

"It's a very bitter result that gives us little margin for error but I'm convinced Milan can go through," Kaka told Gazzetta. "After the 2-2 draw (in the quarter-final first leg) with Bayern Munich we had to get a great result away from home. Now we have to win but we've got the advantage of playing at home.

"We will have to play like United did against us. We will have to show we've got great personality and enormous energy because we face a real battle."

Defender Massimo Oddo was less flattering of his side's performance, although praised United's second goal which saw an outrageous Paul Scholes pass to Rooney cap-off a flowing move:

"We were stupid," he said. "We played a great first half and their second goal was fine but on the other hand we missed several opportunities to make it 3-1," he added.

Furthermore, Milan vice president Adriano Galliani has slammed Real Madrid's attempts to unsettle Kaka by denying categorically that they will sell him to the Spanish club:

"There is no chance at all that Kaka will leave," he told Marca.

"I'm sorry but Real Madrid fans will have to look elsewhere."

The return leg is in Milan on Wednesday May 2nd.