AC Milan's Riccardo Montolivo believes club's sale to Chinese investors presents 'great opportunity'

Doha: The proposed sale of Italian giants AC Milan to a Chinese consortium is a “great opportunity” for the club, the team’s injured skipper Riccardo Montolivo said Friday.

The 30-year-old midfielder said Milan had to “adapt” to the modern world, pointing to the foreign ownership of big clubs across Europe.

“I think that it is a great opportunity for AC Milan,” he told AFP hours before the Italian Super Cup between the Rossoneri and Juventus.

“Of course, it’s sad for us because (present owner, Silvio) Berlusconi is more than a president for us, he’s a father for us, and a father, I think, for all the Milan fans.

“This is the future and we have to adapt, accept this.”

Earlier this month it was announced that the potential sale to Chinese consortium Sino-Europe Sports had been pushed back until 3 March from an earlier deadline of 13 December.

Montolivo himself will not play in the Super Cup having suffered a knee injury playing for Italy against Spain in October.

But he said he hoped to be back on the pitch before the end of the season.

“I will be back, I hope, in the spring. I don’t have a date.

“It’s a long injury, you need five, six months.

“I have to be patient, maybe March, April, I don’t know yet. I hope at the end of the season.”