AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has revealed that striker Carlos Bacca would have signed for Real Madrid had Carlo Ancelotti not been sacked by the La Liga club.
Bacca signed for Milan from Sevilla during the off-season and has scored 13 goals in 25 league appearances, including during Saturday's 2-1 win over Genoa.
But he could just as easily have been wearing the white of Real Madrid had the club hierarchy not chosen to replace Ancelotti, who 12 months earlier had led Madrid to the club's 10th Champions League triumph, with Rafa Benitez.
"[Luca] Antonelli was fantastic while Bacca has a real eye for goal," he said.
"I had been following him in the past two years. I liked the look of him and I also like his former coach, [Unai] Emery, who I feel is a top coach.
"But he [told me Bacca] won’t be coming to Milan though. Bacca is a fantastic player.
"Even Ancelotti spoke to me about him. Had Ancelotti stayed at Real Madrid, Bacca would have probably moved there."
Galliani was also keen to praise former Chelsea defender Alex, adding that Milan should finish no lower than third this season.
"Alex is a top defender. His quality is there to see and his career speaks for itself. His performances lately aren’t by chance," he said.
"We have a good team and we are now having our say. This is a team that has to fight for third place. We are in no way inferior to the other teams battling for that goal."
