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Milan were deserving 2-1 winners at Siena on the opening weekend of Serie A, Alexandre Pato scoring twice as Ronaldinho pulled strings in midfield.

Algeria forward Abdelkader Ghezzal equalised Pato's 29th-minute opener on 34 minutes as Siena fought for a result in the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

However Pato, both of whose goals were created by Ronaldinho, struck early in the second period to give Milan the three points.

Milan coach Leonardo, who oversaw a terrible pre-season after taking over from the departed Carlo Ancelotti, had said before the game it was time for former Barcelona star Ronaldinho to step up.

The Rossoneri, smarting from the departure of Kaka to Real Madrid, will be overjoyed to see the former world player of the year conduct their attacking endeavours from deep in such devastating fashion.

His masterpiece came halfway through the second half, with Milan seemingly coasting: a ball was played across just off the ground, and he flicked it up before executing a beautiful bicycle kick - forcing a flying Gianluca Curci to tip over.

In the first period he set up Marek Jankulovski, Pato - from a free-kick, a disallowed header for offside - and his Brazil team-mate again for the first goal.

As Pato sprang the offside trap on the right, Ronnie played a weighted pass through for him: he feinted once then shot, the advancing Curci's touch only enough to send it into the far corner.

Unfancied Siena then clawed their way into the match, former Middlesbrough frontman Massimo Maccarone always a handful outside the 18-yard box.

They equalised when Lukas Jarolim's low shot across the area was palmed straight to Ghezzal by Marco Storari - and he stuck it in the back of the net.

Milan were on the back foot as Siena looked for a second, Maccarone the chief threat in all their attacks.

Half-time arrived though and soon after the restart Milan were back in front, Ronaldinho playing a firm, accurate pass through a crowd of bodies in the area where Mathieu Flamini squared first time across the six-yard box for Pato to finish.

Maccarone's forages down the flanks were not finding anyone in the danger area and so Marco Giampaolo introduced Michele Paolucci, signed after a loan spell at Catania last season.

Brazilian Thiago Silva, making his competitive debut in Milan's defence, was impressive as the Rossoneri coped with the absence of retired legend Paolo Maldini.

Siena carved out a series of corners late on as Storari's aerial prowess was tested, but Pato had the best chance when Ronaldinho spun on a sixpence to guide a brilliant ball through the defence for him - and he could only find the side-netting with a hat-trick and the match ball beckoning.

Bologna 1-1 Fiorentina

Earlier Fiorentina earned a 1-1 draw at battling Bologna, Adrian Mutu coming off the bench to fire an equaliser to Pablo Daniel Osvaldo's opening header.

The former Chelsea man, who came on at half-time, controlled a low cross inside the box on 64 minutes and, when the ball sat up, volleyed into the roof of the net.

Bologna, missing key veteran Marco Di Vaio, were solid in midfield and reliant on the running of Argentine Osvaldo for their chances.

After an early double chance for Viola striker Alberto Gilardino - Emiliano Viviano pulling off a pair of point-blank saves - Gianluca Comotto left Osvaldo alone at the other end from a corner kick and he obliged by nodding home for the lead.

Mutu provided an extra threat to former Milan striker Gilardino in the second half, the Romanian dispatching his goal with aplomb while another substitute Martin Jorgensen would have won it for the visitors had Francesco Valiani not cleared his wicked bending shot off the line.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport