Kaka demands special protection for 'talented players' on eve of Arsenal clash

The world and European footballer of the year has voiced his fear that he may suffer the same terrible injury inflicted on Eduardo last week after he sustained a broken leg following a red-card challenge from Birmingham's Martin Taylor.

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The two sides head into the last-16 second- leg battle at the San Siro locked at 0-0 and Kaka is worried about the treatment he has received this season.

The Brazilian said: "We need to change this situation where talented players are getting kicked all the time. I am tired of being booted in Italy, for example.

"It's up to the referees to protect players who want to play football and I hope this happens sooner rather than later now we've seen a terrible injury like this [Eduardo's leg break].

"I was saddened by what happened to Eduardo and I wish him the quickest possible recovery."

Austrian referee Konrad Plautz will be officiating in Milan and the club are so worried about the amount of fouls meted out to Kaka that they issued their own statement on the subject last week.

It read: "It's not only the systematic nature of the fouls which Kaka suffers and which referees seem to ignore, it's the fact that it appears to this club that there is scientific planning behind them.

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"It's never the same player who makes two consecutive fouls against him in the same game — it's always alternated between one opponent and one of his team-mates. It's exactly as if there is a strategy behind it — as if you can see the preparation. That's why the referees fail to spot enough of them."

Kaka missed Milan's last two matches because of a knee injury but will return tomorrow against an Arsenal side who flew out from London today with Robin van Persie expected to be back in the Gunners squad.

The striker added: "They do have a young side but it would be a mistake to call Arsenal inexperienced. Some of these players were playing in the Champions League Final not a long time ago.

"We are not in a comfortable situation because we didn't score in the first leg and conceding at the San Siro would be very dangerous for us.

"But I trust in our team because we are used to these kinds of difficult situations and normally we rise to the occasion. What I do find strange, though, is seeing Gilberto out of the squad, not only because he's got a place in the Brazilian team but also because he was one of Arsenal's key players last season.

"They must be very strong if they can afford to leave Gilberto out."