AC Milan playmaker Kaka has admitted that his side wanted to win this year's Coppa Italia to give them the best chance of qualifying for Europe next season.

With Milan's poor first half to the Serie A season seeing them sit 11th, Kaka said that the defeat to Udinese on Wednesday night makes it very unlikely that they will qualify for even the Europa League.

"The club had given us the task of getting to the final of the Coppa Italia," Kaka told Rai Sport. "We are very much disappointed because we did not want a game like this. There is little to say and much to do.

"We have to be honest, we are very far away from the qualifying positions for Europe. The Italian Cup was much closer. It was the surest way for us."

Milan take on Cagliari at the weekend.