Rino Gattuso was filled with the rage of a thousand Rino Gattusos for the first leg of Milan's Champions League round of 16 fixture against Spurs. Though Peter Crouch and the rest of the Spurs side all felt their share of his unhinged fury on their way to a 1-0 win over Milan, it was Spurs assistant Joe Jordan who burrowed under Gattuso's skin the deepest.
The Italian who once played for Rangers, and the Scotsman who once played for Milan first got into it in the second half as Gattuso ran wild and the referee refused to do anything about it. The two exchanged words and Gattuso shoved him in the throat before gesturing that he was talking too much. This was just a bit of foreplay, though.
Rino did eventually get the yellow card that will keep him out of the second leg at White Hart Lane for a sloppy challenge from behind on Steven Pienaar. In the 78th minute, Crouch scored the game's only goal after a burst from Aaron Lennon and once the final whistle blew, Gattuso decided to take more of his aggression out on Jordan with a headbutt, which the 59-year-old hardman known as "Jaws" (because he lacks front teeth, naturally) took better than most footballers half his age.
Said Harry Redknapp after the scuffles (via Soccernet):
''There would be only one winner there -- Joe! I'd have my money on Joe. Of all the people to pick on, don't pick on Joe.''
Given Jordan's credentials, he'd probably put up a good fight, but Gattuso is made entirely of rabies and brutality. Like Freddy Krueger, he cannot be killed and only experiences true joy when people try to play his game.
So, with Gattuso likely facing a looong UEFA ban, you have to wonder if this might be the last Champions League match of his career. If it is, it's probably the way he's always dreamed of going out.
UPDATE: Gattuso apparently suffered from a bout of momentary sanity once he reached the dressing room. From Football Italia:
“At the end of the game I lost my head. I take full responsibility,” confessed Gattuso.
“I did something that I should not have done. Jordan was winding me up for the entire second half, but my reaction was unjustified.
“I was irritable because of the words that we had exchanged earlier on.”
Gattuso refused to repeat what Jordan said to him, but I'm guessing it was something along the lines of "I still have more teeth than you have brain cells."
Photo: Reuters
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