AC Milan: At the Milanello, Rossoneri Have Sights on Champions League

AC Milan began summer training on Tuesday for the 2011-12 season, during which they will be defending their 18th Scudetto, their first since the 2003-04 season.

Having won their first competitive trophy since winning the FIFA Club World Cup in 2007, the Italian champions are ready to go this season and ready to regain their place among the elite of Europe's top clubs.

Massimiliano Allegri returns as manager after a debut season which is likely to have him in the running for the Albo Panchina d'Oro, awarded to Serie A's top manager. It is likely only Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri could stop him from winning the honor for a second time (he won in 2008-09 with Cagliari).

Milan also return most of the squad which won the league last season, reached the Last 16 of the Champions League, and went to the semifinals of Coppa Italia. Marek Jankulovski and Niccola Legrottaglie have both been released. Sokratis Papasthapoulos has returned to Genoa, along with him goes Alexander Merkel on a co-ownership. The biggest departure is Andrea Pirlo, who departs for Juventus.

Of these players, only Pirlo had much of an impact last season, but he did not fit into Allegri's plans for the future.

The transfer market has been kind to Milan so far. Defenders Philippe Mexes and Taye Taiwo told their former employers (Roma and Marseille respectively) in April that they would be leaving for AC Milan this summer. Milan have bought back the full contract of forward Alberto Paloschi from Genoa and have brought in Genoa midfielder Stephan El-Shaarway on a co-ownership. Milan are also expecting another midfielder before the end of the mercato. Fiorentina's Riccardo Montolivo has emerged as a favorite with names like Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger and Palermo's Javier Pastore also being rumored.

Most of the squad is at the Milanello for training with the exception of six players. Brazil's Alexandre Pato, Thiago Silva, and Robinho and Colombia's Mario Yepes will be given extra rest after their appearances in Copa America, but will play in August 6th's Supercoppa Italiana against Inter in Beijing. Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Italy's Antonio Cassano are joining the club this week after being given extra rest after their work with their respective national teams.

Despite not having the whole squad together yet, everyone at Milan is confident of one thing: AC Milan have what it takes this season to win the UEFA Champions League.

AC Milan are the second most successful club in Champions League history, having won the title seven times. Only Real Madrid with nine have more. The Italian giants last won the competition in 2007 and since then it has been Champions League misery. In the four seasons since, Milan have been in the Champions League three times, each time losing to an English club (Arsenal in 2008, Manchester United in 2010, and Tottenham Hotspur in 2011) in the Last 16.

With the team that the club has assembled in the past year, there is a lot of optimism at the moment.

From Argentina, Alexandre Pato expressed his excitement for the upcoming season. With a break from Copa America before Brazil's quarterfinal match with Paraguay, Pato discussed the objective through La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"We will do whatever we can to win the Champions League in the new season. The thought of winning it unites all the fans, the players and the Berlusconi family," Pato told the Italian sporting source. The Brazilian is having a great tournament in Argentina, scoring two goals against Ecuador in the final Group Stage match for the Selecao. He is level with the likes of Neymar and Radamel Falcao on two, one behind Argentina's Kun Aguero for the Golden Boot. He dedicated his brace to his girlfriend, Milan board member Barbara Berlusconi, daughter of owner Silvio.

A player who has expressed his excitement to arrive at Milan on several occasions is Philippe Mexes, who says that he "preferred AC Milan to Real Madrid, just as I preferred AS Roma to Manchester United" (Rossoneri Blog). The 29-year-old Frenchman added that "it was my childhood dream [to arrive], it is amongst the best teams in the world," and also has a lot of confidence about the world's most elite annual sporting competition.

"I think AC Milan are already a very strong team that can battle anyone in the Champions League. As for the championship, we’re obviously running to win it, but Inter and other teams too can go for it.

"If Milan cannot win it, then who can? I think we can play for the Champions League, looking at our history."

Milanista worldwide are excited about the prospects of this season. One notable fan, Novak Djokovic, believes Milan can win Europe this season. After his Wimbledon success earlier this summer, the Serbian set high goals.

"We have to repeat a meeting with Milan and Ibra because I want to repeat my successes and Milan must win the Champions League. This is my wish!" Djokovic met his beloved Rossoneri in Dubai over the winter.

It will not be an easy task. Barcelona are looking as strong as last season and may even add another attacking player, with Guiseppe Rossi and Alexis Sanchez being linked to the European champs. Other clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid will, as always, provide heavy competition, but it is safe to say that AC Milan will be a tough out in this year's Champions League.