AC Milan health coordinator Jean-Pierre Meersseman has announced that Alexandre Pato will miss the rest of the season after suffering a muscle injury.

It had been suggested that the 22-year-old would be sidelined after suffering a problem with his thigh during Milan's 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final earlier this week.

"Pato's season is over. We are back to square one again," Meersseman told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"How can we permanently solve his muscular problems? We've taken him everywhere, from Germany to the USA. Loads of doctors have examined and treated him.

"I did not get a minute of sleep all night. When I saw on TV that he felt pain again, I felt bad as well. I did not expect this to happen. Pato was declared fit again, but evidently the injury didn't heal."

The Brazilian striker has had an injury-plagued season, making just 11 appearances for the Serie A side during this year's campaign.