Paqueta proving to Milan that he's worth all the hype

Young Brazilian settling in after big-money move

MILAN - Lucas Paqueta is settling in at AC Milan and beginning to prove he's worth the hype

While the Brazil international did not score in Monday's 2-0 win at Genoa, he was at the heart of most of the Rossoneri's good play and hit the woodwork.

Fabio Borini and Suso scored as Milan moved back into fourth spot in Serie A and the final Champions League qualifying berth.

"I was amazed by Paqueta, both on a physical and tactical level," Borini said. "He likes to display his skills, but he's very intelligent at the same time."

Paqueta transferred to Milan from Flamengo this month for a reported $40 million and started in the Italian Cup and Super Cup.

The 21-year-old made his Serie A debut on Monday and showed why Brazil coach Tite is enthused about his prodigious talent.

As well as providing opportunities for his new teammates, Paqueta had good movement off the ball and demonstrated a willingness to get stuck in.

He nearly scored a spectacular opener on the stroke of halftime, but his long-range volley crashed off the left post.

However, he still has much to learn as was evident when his showboating almost cost Milan a goal.

Paqueta beat a defender with a remarkable flick but then immediately gave the ball away to spark a Genoa counterattack which, fortunately for him, came to nothing.

"He can still improve, even if he's already demonstrating his ability," assistant Milan coach Luigi Riccio said. "He's highly skilled, physical, fast, and he can head a ball. He can do it all."

Ronaldo misfires

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo had a penalty saved but it mattered little as Juventus beat last-place Chievo 3-0 to extend its advantage in Serie A.

Douglas Costa and Emre Can scored first-half goals and Daniele Rugani added the last one late as league leader Juventus restored its nine-point advantage over second-place Napoli, which beat Lazio 2-1 on Sunday.

It was a bad start to what will already be a difficult week for Ronaldo. He makes an unwanted trip back to Madrid for an expected guilty plea to tax fraud related to his time at Real Madrid.

"There are more important penalties; he missed a similar one this morning, too, in training," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. "However, what's important is the team won in the end.

"Ronaldo was betrayed in the first half by too much desire to score a goal. Things went better for him in the second half, when he was trying to do easier things."

Ronaldo is expected to appear before a judge in Madrid on Tuesday and receive a suspended two-year sentence as part of a deal struck with Spain's state prosecutor and tax authorities last year.

The agreement will cost him nearly $21.6 million in fines.

In a separate ongoing case, Ronaldo is facing a rape allegation in the United States.

Kathryn Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada in September claiming Ronaldo raped her in his Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.

Last fall, police reopened an investigation into the allegation at her request.

Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.

The 33-year-old superstar has been playing and scoring regularly since the rape allegation emerged, but he appeared anxious and distracted on Monday as he uncharacteristically missed several decent scoring opportunities.

Associated Press