Pato ruled out for Milan´s run-in

AC Milan health coordinator Jean-Pierre Meersseman has confirmed attacker Alexandre Pato will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

Brazilian forward Pato made his comeback from a muscle injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League quarter-final loss to Barcelona, but was forced to leave the pitch again only 14 minutes after coming off the bench.

Milan immediately feared another lengthy injury lay-off, and Meersseman has revealed Pato will be unavailable for the rest of the campaign.

“Pato’s season is over. We are back to square one again,” Meersseman told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“How can we permanently solve his muscular problems? We’ve taken him everywhere, from Germany to the USA. Loads of doctors have examined and treated him.

“I did not get a minute of sleep all night. When I saw on TV that he felt pain again, I felt bad as well. I did not expect this to happen. Pato was declared fit again, but evidently the injury didn’t heal.”

Pato has made only 11 Serie A appearances this term due to his injury woes.