AC Milan secured their place in the group stages of next season's Champions League by beating Fiorentina.

Goals from Kaka and Alexandre Pato in the second half earned the Rossoneri three points on the day that Paolo Maldini brought an end to his 24 years as a professional footballer after 902 club appearances, all for Milan.

He was allowed to leave the field before the rest of the players as the curtain came down on one of the most illustrious careers of any footballer.

David Beckham also played the last game of a significantly shorter career for Milan before returning to Major League Soccer, while coach Carlo Ancelotti seems destined to leave the club he has led to two Champions League triumphs over the last seven years. Chelsea could be his next club.

Fiorentina, who introduced the now obligatory shake of hands at the end of Serie A matches, reinforced their fair play with the entire stadium giving Maldini a standing ovation before kick-off and at the game's conclusion.

He was one of the first to touch the ball too, showing the composure and aplomb that have characterised one of the longest and most successful careers of any footballer on the planet.

His last game for the Rossoneri was simultaneously one of his most important. The Rossoneri needed to avoid defeat by more than one goal to hold onto their top-three position and secure automatic entry into the Champions League group stage next season.

Fiorentina, on the other hand, sensed the chance to climb above their opponents and earn a longer holiday without Champions League qualifiers in August, and they started the game accordingly.

Former Milan striker Alberto Gilardino had his first sight of goal in the fourth minute when he took down Gianluca Comotto's deep cross under the challenge of Gianluca Zambrotta, but he flashed his shot across the face of goal.

Franco Semioli headed wide in a lively opening which saw the Viola push resolutely towards Dida's goal.

Alessandro Gamberini headed Stevan Jovetic's corner into the hands of the Milan goalkeeper in the 16th minute while another cross from the left, this time from Juan Vargas, was headed wide by Gilardino.

The Milan fans showed their support for Ancelotti by chanting his name, probably for one last time.

His team's fortunes started to look up as they took the sting out of the game with a sequence of short and accurate passes leading up to a shot on goal from Mathieu Flamini which skimmed the top of the crossbar.

Sebastien Frey was called into action for the first time shortly afterwards to push a low shot from Favalli behind for a corner, but it was the home side who ended the first half brighter, having a call for a penalty waved away by referee Nicola Rizzoli when Gilardino failed to make his way between Favalli and Maldini with all three players ending up in a heap.

Gilardino had the first chance of the second half, curling his eight-yard shot wide.

But the Rossoneri soon took control with Kaka opening the scoring in the 55th minute.

Zambrotta's cross was missed by Filippo Inzaghi, but it fell kindly for Kaka to pick his spot in the far corner.

Inzaghi hit a shot over the crossbar while Pato and Beckham combined, with the former hitting a tame shot wide of the post.

Pato then found the back of the net in the 75th minute, just beating the offside trap to reach Kaka's pass and lift the ball delicately over Frey.

The game was over, but the career of one of the world's greatest ever defenders was in need of a more befitting ending.

Rizzoli blew a preliminary final whistle to allow the stadium to rise once again to pay tribute to 40-year-old Maldini as he left the field of play for the final time, before bringing the game to its official end moments later.