The next day at the training ground,AC Milan was in the middle of an intense internal scrimmage.
Pato and Suker were still placed on the same team.
Currently, the score was 2:3, with Suker's side trailing by one.
In the final moments of the match, Suker scored with a low shot, tying the game.
Everyone celebrated—except Pato, who stood there puffing out his cheeks in frustration.
Since partnering with Suker, his role in the team had noticeably diminished.His performance was also on a decline.
Where he used to score 1–2 goals per training game,he now hadn't scored at all since yesterday.
He felt completely isolated, like he was being frozen out by the team.
This isn't the way I play!
Even when things looked bleak, Suker never passed to him.
That afternoon in training,Pato stopped passing to Suker too.
But while Suker's performance remained dominant,Pato stopped getting the ball at all.
Once he cut Suker out, other teammates stopped passing to him too.
For 20 full minutes, Pato stood there like a statue—not touching the ball once.
He was utterly confused.
Why is this happening to me?
The next day, the same thing happened.
But this time, Pato lost it.
When his teammates wouldn't pass,he started stealing the ball — even from Suker.
He got scolded by Maldini, and then Ancelotti subbed him off.
Yet, Pato still didn't understand what he was doing wrong.
At lunch in the Milanello training facility cafeteria,all the Milan players were eating.
Pato stormed in, grabbed a tray of food,and deliberately walked past Suker without saying a word.He sat by himself in a lonely corner to eat.
Suker noticed, but said nothing.Kaká sighed.
Pato felt the whole world had changed.
Before, everyone supported him and worked with him.Now?Nobody talked to him. Nobody passed to him.
He felt completely shut out.
He didn't even know what he had done wrong.But the loneliness and isolation were crushing.
To get attention,he started banging his utensils loudly while eating,trying to show everyone he was angry.
People turned and frowned at him.Some were visibly annoyed.
"F*ck this kid..."
Suddenly, Gattuso slammed his fork down and walked over to Pato.
"Look at me."
Pato looked up, dazed.
"Swallow what's in your mouth."
He did.
"Now clench your teeth."
Slap!Gattuso smacked him across the face, hard.
Pato saw stars.He was stunned.He didn't understand—Why did Gattuso hit him?
What had he done wrong?
Why did everything change so suddenly?
The pain and shock hit him like a wave.Fear, hurt, and confusion surged together.
The 18-year-old Pato broke down in tears,tears streaming silently down his face—but he still kept his eyes fixed on Gattuso.
"Remember this,"Gattuso said coldly,"That slap means I still think you're worth something."
Then he walked away.
Everyone else, including Suker,quietly resumed their lunch like nothing had happened.
That afternoon, Pato didn't attend training.
Ancelotti heard about what happened—but issued no punishment.
Instead, he told Pato to go home and rest.
On the fourth day, Pato couldn't take it anymore.
He went to see Ancelotti.
"I don't understand!""Why did everything change? Aren't they my teammates?""Why are they treating me like this?!""And have I been playing badly? I scored two goals, and now everyone hates me!"
He poured out his frustrations like a child seeking sympathy.
Ancelotti kept his head down, reading documents.
When Pato finished, Ancelotti put the papers down and looked up:
"So, what do you expect me to do?""Comfort you? Or scold you?"
Pato frowned.
"I just don't understand…"
"Then good. It's good that you don't understand," Ancelotti replied, waving his hand."Since you began playing football, you've always been the golden child.Everyone pampered you — in youth teams, and in Brazil."
"But this is AC Milan.This is a giant of world football.We don't need prodigies.Even if it's not you, it could easily be someone else."
Pato was stunned.
"You're upset Suker doesn't pass to you? Let me ask you — why should he?"
"Do you have more tactical value than him?""Have you achieved more than him?"
Ancelotti pointed directly at Pato:
"It's you who should adapt to Suker,not the other way around!"
"After the first training session, Suker already told you:'Find the problem yourself.'Have you done that?"
"All you've done is whine about how he doesn't pass to you.""You think you deserve the same priority as him?"
"Suker earned his place with two Champions League titles, a league title, a Ballon d'Or, and FIFA World Player of the Year!"
"What have you done to make him pass to you?"
Pato was speechless.His mind went blank.
"There are some things I really shouldn't say,"Ancelotti sighed."But you need to understand your role."
"You're a professional now.You're part of AC Milan.Here, your teammates are also your competitors."
"Suker, and every other attacking player, is competing with you.Why should they help you? What's in it for them?"
"Back when you couldn't play yet, Suker helped you.But now you're officially a Milan player — and that changes everything."
"If you keep acting like a spoiled kid,then maybe Milan just isn't for you."
Pato looked dazed.
"Then... what should I do?"
"Figure it out yourself," Ancelotti said."Suker already told you — go find the problem."
"I've said all I can.The rest is up to you."
He waved his hand, signaling Pato to leave.
As Pato walked out, Ancelotti let out a long sigh.
He never expected this so-called genius to have such a childish mentality.
When Kaká and Suker joined Milan, they never acted like this.
Pato only thought about himself,and believed everyone should serve his goals.
But Milan wasn't some small Brazilian club.
Here, even bench players were on a level he couldn't touch yet.
If he doesn't focus on proving himself,and keeps expecting others to accommodate him,then honestly, Gattuso's slap wasn't nearly hard enough.
At Suker's villa,Kaká sat on the sofa and asked:
"Do you think Pato will figure it out?"
Suker shrugged.
"Who knows?But he has to figure it out himself — no one can help him."
He had already said the most he could with"Find the problem yourself."
If Suker helped any more,it would show favoritism — and disrespect the competition.
Pato's great debut made him a real threat.Before, when he couldn't play, no one saw him as competition.
Now that he was performing and taking game time,he was seen as a rival.
Even Gattuso's slap was a way of protecting him.
Without that slap,Pato might've been completely frozen out or bullied by teammates.
Until he proves himself,this tension will only continue.
When Suker and Kaká joined Milan,they were keenly aware of these dynamics.
So they made sure to be humble, helpful, and integrated into the team— before earning the right to lead.
Pato, clearly,wasn't ready yet.