UEFA cup victory for AC Milan

11-08-2008 | AFP

Acelotti looks forward to seven more years of glory at the helm of club

Panama Star ROME. AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti celebrated seven years at the helm of the club Thursday with a 1-0 UEFA Cup victory over Sporting Braga that leaves the Italian giants sitting pretty at home and abroad.

Milan are top of Serie A on 22 points from 10 matches despite having begun the season with two successive defeats.

They have won all four matches they have played in the UEFA Cup this season and look certain to qualify for the next knock-out stages.

And despite some difficult moments during the last year, and even speculation that Ancelotti's time at the San Siro should be up, the former Roma and Milan midfielder is starting to develop into the Sir Alex Ferguson of Italian football.

He is the longest serving coach in Serie A and has no intention of moving on just yet.

"It's now seven years since I arrived on the Milan bench, the first seven are over now, this match was the first of the next seven years," said AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti of the Braga clash, won by a Ronaldinho rocket three minutes into injury time.