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Kaka proved he is fully recovered with a magnificent performance and hat-trick in this drubbing of Reggina.

There was no room for error as the Rossoneri needed a win to avoid falling seven points behind Fiorentina. Last week's 3-2 defeat at Juventus was a blow, but even worse was their dismal home form, winning just five times at San Siro. Reggina were on a high after beating Sampdoria 1-0, though they remained in the bottom three and had scored just once in their previous six away games. Curiously, this fixture hadn't ended in a draw for nine editions, since the 2-2 in December 1999.

Alexandre Pato returned from a mysterious muscular injury to sit on the bench, though Daniele Bonera and Massimo Ambrosini were banned with Paolo Maldini, Ronaldo, Marek Jankulovski and Emerson sidelined. Reggina made the trip without Emanuele Cascione, Maurizio Lanzaro and Montiel.

In the opening minute Salvatore Aronica and Francesco Modesto collided, allowing Cristian Brocchi to fire a right-foot shot on the bounce on to the side-netting.

The referee pointed to the spot when Modesto tackled Kaka in the box as he was lining up the shot. The Brazilian got back up to send Andrea Campagnolo the wrong way and bury the powerful penalty.

Reggina fought back with a Valdez header testing Zeljko Kalac, but Campagnolo palmed Kaka's cross-shot out from under the bar and parried a Kakha Kaladze angled drive with his feet.

Kaka has now recovered from his injury problems and it showed, as he was swarming around the Amaranto defence. Pippo Inzaghi's backheel set up Kaka for a fierce strike that Campagnolo parried.

The referee awarded a second penalty for a Luca Vigiani trip on Clarence Seedorf and this time Kaka took a different approach, rolling it gently into the other angle.

However, Reggina got back into it with an absolute screamer from Barreto. He controlled a clearance just outside the D and smashed the rocket into the top corner past a helpless Kalac.

A Seedorf rocket skimmed the bar, but after the restart Barreto went off in agony after an accidental clash of knees with Seedorf.

Inzaghi's diving header whistled wide and Campagnolo pushed an Andrea Pirlo piledriver out from under the crossbar.

Kaka's acrobatic backheel sent Inzaghi clear on goal, but the Italian was closed down as he was lining up the shot by some desperate defending. However, some chaotic play at the back almost gifted Reggina an equaliser, as Kaladze had to come sliding in to stop a tap-in from six yards.

Kaka was comfortably man of the match and completed his hat-trick. Brocchi's cross was chested down for a precise low first time finish into the far bottom corner.

There were penalty appeals from Reggina for a Kaladze handling offence on Franco Brienza's cross, but the referee waved play on.

Alexandre Pato made his comeback and created the fourth goal almost immediately. His shot was deflected on to the upright by Campagnolo and Inzaghi was ready to pounce on the loose ball.

Pato got his name on the scoresheet eventually with a powerful header on Yoan Gourcuff's cross from the right.

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Milan: Kalac; Cafu (Simic 76), Nesta, Kaladze, Favalli; Gattuso (Gourcuff 80), Pirlo, Brocchi; Kaka, Seedorf (Pato 69); Inzaghi

Reggina: Campagnolo; Valdez (Alvarez 69), Cirillo, Aronica; Vigiani, Barreto (Missiroli 48), Tognozzi, Modesto (Costa 82); Cozza, Brienza; Amoruso

Ref: Farina

Channel 4