AC Milan's Pato to miss start of Serie A season due to fresh injury

AC Milan attacker Alexandre Pato has been dealt a cruel blow in his quest to regain full fitness as he has suffered another injury mere days before the restart of the Serie A season.

The Brazilian picked up a knock on his left adductor muscle during a training session on Wednesday, which coincided with the arrival of Giampaolo Pazzini from city rivals Inter in a swap deal involving Antonio Cassano.

The 22-year-old will undergo a scan in the coming days to determined the extent of the damage. An announcement on the club's official website read:

"AC Milan announces that during a game held in today's workout, Alexandre Pato has reported a problem with his left adductor.

"In the coming days further medical examinations will be made to determine the extent of the damage."

Pato was restricted to just 11 Serie A appearances last season, due to persistent injury problems.