Pato saves Dida’s blushes as AC Milan rock Real

ALEXANDRE PATO saved the blushes of fellow Brazilian Dida with a brace as AC Milan stunned Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last night to get their Champions League challenge back on track and inflict only a second competitive defeat of the season on their big-spending hosts.

For a while it looked as though Dida’s dreadful first-half error, which allowed Raul to give Madrid a half-time lead, would cost Milan dear but Pato popped up in the 88th minute to volley home his side’s winner and help the Italians bounce back from defeat to FC Zurich in their previous Group C match.

Pato had earlier put Milan ahead in the 66th minute after Andrea Pirlo’s equaliser just minutes before. Royston Drenthe was the other goalscorer, making it 2-2 in the 76th minute, but his effort could not save Madrid in the battle between the two most successful sides in European Cup history.