AC Milan striker Pato to miss start of season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato will miss the start of the Serie A season after tearing a leg muscle, the Serie A club said Thursday.
Pato, 22, played just 11 league games last season due to various injuries, and will now be sidelined for the 2012-13 opener against Sampdoria on Sunday. He will likely be sidelined for at least a few weeks.
"AC Milan can confirm that Alexandre Pato suffered a tear to his left adductor muscle during training at Milanello (Wednesday)," Milan said in a statement. "In the coming weeks he will undergo further medical tests to establish how long it will take for him to recover and return to playing football."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pato, who played for Brazil at the 2012 Olympics, has been capped 20 times for the senior national team since his debut in 2008.