AC Milan’s most famous patron has come out in support of the club and its beleaguered coach after a lackluster start to the 2008/2009 football season.

The Rossoneri took three game to get up to speed in the new season of Serie A football, losing to lowly Genoa and Bologna before securing their first win against Lazio on Tuesday night.

The club’s form in its European UEFA Cup campaign has been somewhat more impressive, with Milan recording a satisfactory 3-1 victory over FC Zurich at home last week. The two wins have eased growing pressure on coach Carlos Ancelotti to produce results.

“I was disappointed by the Milan of the first two games, but this is the real Milan we had been expecting for years,” Berlusconi said following the club’s defeat of Lazio at San Siro. “Ancelotti was a great player, he is a great Coach, a great friend and one of the family.”

Berlusconi then underlined his expectations for Milan in its Serie A and UEFA Cup campaigns, saying: “This year the mandate is to win the championship and the UEFA Cup. What I had to do, I have done. Now it’s up to them.”