AC Milan management are confident Ronaldinho will recapture his very best this season. His double against Sampdoria on Sunday has hinted of big things to come from the Brazilian after two weeks free during the international break to work on his fitness.

Daniele Tognaccini, Milan's fitness trainer, declared: "His training will see him playing well in December.

"But then after the winter break, at the end of the year, he will have enough time to prepare and return to being the world's No1."