Milan police said Berlusconi's attacker hit him with a small metal souvenir replica of the Doumo di Milano, the city's central cathedral, but it was not immediately clear whether the man swung at the prime minister with the object in his hand or threw it at him.
After initially being given a chance by Andre Villas-Boas, albeit often out wide instead of his preferred central striking role, he was a peripheral figure under his successor Roberto di Matteo -- and Chelsea's current manager Rafael Benitez has let him leave.
Listed at 5-feet-7 and 154 pounds, Di Natale was long considered too small short and slight to play a central attacking role and was usually deployed on the wing.