FURIOUS GATTUSO
Manager blasts Milan for making fools of themselves at Verona
AC MILAN coach Gennaro Gattuso gave a brutally honest assessment of his team’s 3-0 defeat at lowly Verona on Sunday, saying his expensively-assembled side had made fools of themselves.
The defeat completed a miserable week for Milan after UEFA rejected Milan’s request for a voluntary agreement that would have temporarily exempted the club from European football’s break even rule known as Financial Fair Play and 18-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was left in tears after being insulted by fans at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Gattuso, who had not coached a Serie A team before he was appointed last month, said his side had started well but failed to react after falling behind in the 24th minute.
“Until the first goal, we played some good football and created plenty of chances,” the fiery former midfielder told reporters. “Then, at the first sign of trouble, we collapsed as we have so often this season. We need to understand why we collapsed like that... we don’t know how to react when we go behind.
“There are no excuses, we made fools of ourselves,” he said.
Milan, who spent more than €200 million (RM962 million) during the transfer window, were left seventh in Serie A with 24 points from 17 games — seven wins, three draws and seven defeats.
The decision to fire Vincenzo Montella in November and promote Gattuso from the youth team coaching role has failed to produce an improvement with one win, one draw and one defeat since the change.
Juventus moved second after a comfortable 3-0 win at Bologna.
Massimiliano Allegri’s Juve are on 41 points, just a point behind leaders Napoli after leapfrogging Inter Milan, who suffered a shock first defeat of the season to Udinese on Saturday.
MADRID: Barcelona moved six points clear at the top of La Liga by easing to a 4-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday with doubles from Luis Suarez and Paulinho ahead of this Saturday’s ‘Clasico’ against champions Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi had a frustrating night in front of goal and was unable to add to his 14 league goals this season as he hit the woodwork three times and had a penalty saved by former youth teammate Ruben Martinez.
Barca lead the standings on 42 points, six ahead of Atletico Madrid and eight in front of third-placed Valencia.
They are 11 clear of Real, who have a game in hand after missing this weekend’s action due to playing in the Club World Cup, where they beat Brazilians Gremio 1-0 in Saturday’s final.
“We go into next week’s game (against Real) feeling very happy and the best way to prepare for a game of that level is to win and feel confident and we are feeling great,” Barca coach Ernesto Valverde told reporters.
“It’s a very difficult game against a huge rival and we are very excited about playing it. I don’t think a win (against Real) would assure us of the title because Atletico are six points behind. What is clear is that seasons are very long and no-one wins the title at this stage.”
PARIS: A howler from goalkeeper Steve Mandanda helped Lyon beat fellow European rivals Marseille 2-0 on Sunday and move clear of their opponents in third place in Ligue 1.
The victory gave Lyon a threepoint lead over fourth-placed Marseille and drew them level on points with second-placed Monaco, nine points adrift of runaway leaders Paris Saint Germain.
Marseille showed plenty of fight but were made to pay for missed chances as a 12-match unbeaten run in the league was brought to an end.
“I take full responsibility for this defeat. I should not be conceding that type of goal,” Mandanda said. “The difference was the two goalkeepers. Today we saw (Lyon keeper) Anthony Lopes be decisive and Steve Mandanda who was not good, which meant that Marseille lost this game.”
Nantes coach Claudio Ranieri was sent to the stands for manhandling the fourth official, but an Emiliano Sala penalty still saw the Canaries strengthen their grip on fifth spot with a 1-0 win over Angers.
Nice are four points behind in sixth after Mario Balotelli’s eighth goal in as many games saw Lucien Favre’s men beat Bordeaux 1-0 to make it four wins on the spin.
PSG maintained their ninepoint lead at the top of the table with Saturday’s straightforward 4-1 win at Rennes.
BERLIN: RB Leipzig suffered their first home loss of the season on Sunday, going 3-2 down to 10man Hertha Berlin, to leave leaders Bayern Munich with a comfortable 11-point advantage going into the winter break.
Surplus to requirements at Leipzig last season, Davie Selke enjoyed a brilliant return to the Red Bull Arena, scoring a goal in each half as the Berliners battled to an astonishing win despite having to play with 10 men for almost the entire match after Jordan Torunarigha’s seventh minute red card.
“It’s satisfying, I am happy that I was able to show people that I am doing well for Hertha,” Selke told Sky Sports.
It was another bitter defeat for Leipzig, who have not won in five games this month and have now dropped out of the top four.
Not since 2011 have Bayern reached Christmas with as few points under their belt, yet with “just” 41 on the board the champions remain dominant in the Bundesliga this season.
The league leaders face one final challenge before the winter break, with resurgent Borussia Dortmund coming up in the German Cup. Agencies