Berlusconi's rallying cry

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi issued a rallying cry to his team after they returned to form in style with a 4-1 thrashing of previous Serie A leaders Lazio.

Milan had lost their first two league matches and there was talk of a crisis at the club but goals from Clarence Seedorf, Gianluca Zambrotta, Pato and Kaka helped ease the pressure on coach Carlo Ancelotti.

And now Berlusconi is feeling confident again and has tried to fire his team up to go on and challenge for honours at home and in Europe, while not forgetting the all-important Milan derby at the weekend.

"For sure there's never been a year when I haven't told the team that their objective is to win every competition they play in," he said.

"This year the mandate is to win the championship and the UEFA Cup. I've done what I had to do. Now it's up to them."

Next up is a midweek trip to Reggina but then on Sunday the Milan derby, and Berlusconi is expecting nothing less than three points for his 72nd birthday on September 29, a day after the derby.

"A victory. My team must give me a birthday present," he said.

Vice-president Adriano Galliani was delighted to see the team not only win but play well.

"We're very happy because we haven't only won but we were convincing," he said. "That was a very organised Milan, which is the tactical objective, I believe that's the way we should play."