THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MILAN, Italy — AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato will likely return from a sprained ankle in time for a Champions League match against Arsenal on Feb. 20.
The 18-year-old Brazilian, who has scored four goals in his first six Serie A matches, sprained his ankle in Sunday’s game soon after he had come off the bench to score the winning goal.
"Pato is doing much better today," Milan medical co-ordinator Jean Pierre Meersseman said Wednesday on the team’s television channel.
"Up to yesterday he was walking on crutches, but now he can walk without pain," Meersseman said. "Until yesterday we thought that he would need two to three weeks to recuperate, but now I think that it will take less than two weeks and he’ll be available for the game against Arsenal."
Brazil forward Kaka will miss Milan’s league game against Siena due to a lingering knee injury, but will be available for the Arsenal game, Meersseman said.
Ronaldo, the third piece of Milan’s Brazilian attack, will play Sunday after sitting out last week’s match with a muscle injury.