Abate: No Balotelli, no problem

Ignazio Abate says AC Milan have what it takes to cope without Mario Balotelli in their Champions League round-of-16 tie against Barcelona.

The controversial striker left Manchester City for Milan in the January transfer window, but is ineligible for European club football’s elite competition as he has already featured in the tournament for City in the first half of the season.

“We may not have Balotelli in the Champions League but we have Robinho, (Giampaolo) Pazzini and Bojan (Krkic) who can all play their part,” Abate told the club’s official website.

Riccardo Montolivo, meanwhile, is equally confident Milan have enough quality to deal with the striker’s absence in Europe.

“It is a shame Mario isn’t playing but Pazzini is having a good season and we also have cover in Bojan,” Montolivo said.

Milan host Barca on February 20, with the return scheduled to take place at Camp Nou two weeks later.