EMOTIONS XI
Just when it couldn’t get any worse for Wenger, snarling Milan boss Gattuso warns: We are not Brad Pitt.. we need to play ugly with dark circles under our eyes
ARSENAL will be confronted by an “ugly” AC Milan at the San Siro tomorrow.
The Gunners have lost their last four matches and been accused of lacking the stomach for a fight.
Arsene Wenger’s reign at the Emirates appears to be coming to a messy end and now they face hungry rookie boss Gennaro Gattuso in the Europa League.
The last time the former Glasgow Rangers midfielder faced an English team in Europe, the 2006 World Cup winner was banned for five games for head-butting Spurs assistant coach Joe Jordan in February 2011.
And Gattuso, who won two Champions League titles under Carlo Ancelotti, has brought the same fighting attitude to his former side since taking over in November. Milan are unbeaten in 13 games – including reaching the Coppa Italia final – and have not conceded a goal in their last six.
“We’re not Brad Pitt, we have to continue being as ugly as me and my beard, with dark circles under our eyes,” said Gattuso.
“I want to clear this up, as I am not a great coach. I’m still in the early days, I’m not a guru of the bench and I’ve achieved nothing yet.
“At the same time, I am not the person that some seemed to think I was. You don’t learn this profession through books, you learn it by getting smashed in the teeth by setbacks. I’ve had some and I will have many more.”
Gattuso, who has a Scottish wife, applied for the job at Hamilton Academical to replace Alex Neil in January 2015 before returning to Milan to coach the Under-19s last year. Like Wenger, Gattuso is playing for his future as he is only in charge till the end of the season. But the 40-year-old is the future.
“This is a dream and I am a very lucky guy who has been given this extraordinary opportunity,” he said. “If I have the chance to stay at Milan, then of course I’ll stay, because this is my home.”
Wenger has good and bad memories of the San Siro. In 2008 Arsenal became the first team to win a European tie in Milan when they knocked out the reigning champions 2-0, but then lost 4-0 there in 2012 and went out despite winning the second leg 3-0.