Gennaro Ivan Gattuso

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Player Ratings: Torino 0-1 Milan

Carlo Garganese rates the players on show at the Stadio Olimpico this afternoon.

Kalac – 6.0: Did not have too many saves to make all game, but was largely reliable when called upon.

Oddo - 7: Oddo has been one of Milan’s most impressive players in recent weeks, and he was again up-and-down the right like a train this afternoon.

Nesta – 6.5: Sound performance from Nesta, who was a calming influence at the back.

Kaladze - 7.0: A few nervy moments, but he made one simply brilliant tackle to deny Rosina at the beginning of the second half.

Maldini – 7.5: Yet again defied his years with a wonderful performance. He was granted a standing ovation when he was replaced on 80 minutes.

Gattuso - 5: Gattuso is clearly on a downward spiral. He just does not have the energy he used to have. Time for Roberto Donadoni to axe him from the Italy starting XI.

Ambrosini – 6: Battled well in midfield, without really showing too much quality. An average game but nothing more.

Pirlo – 6: Pirlo had his spells during the match, but he still is struggling. Looks mentally tired, as well as physically.

Seedorf – 8: Linked the play between midfield and attack, and with a bit of luck could have had a hat-trick. Hit the crossbar, was twice denied by Fontana, and also helped set-up the winner.

Pato – 8: Given time this player is going to be one of, if not, the best forward in the world. Still needs to mature, but his potential is frightening. Unstoppable at times today, and scored the crucial goal.

Gilardino - 7: I feel so happy to be able to give Gilardino a positive mark. Struggled in the first half, but was pivotal after the break, created Pato’s goal, and was also denied himself by a great Fontana save.

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ITALY: THE CALLED UP PLAYERS

GOALKEEPERS: Amelia (Livorno), Buffon (Juventus)

DEFENDERS: Barzagli (Palermo), Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Grosso (Lione), Materazzi (Inter), Oddo (Milan), Panucci (Roma), Zambrotta (Barcellona)

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini (Milan), Aquilani (Roma), Camoranesi (Juventus), De Rossi (Roma), Gattuso (Milan), Perrotta (Roma), Pirlo (Milan)

STRIKERS: Borriello (Genoa), Di Natale (Udinese), Iaquinta (Juventus), Quagliarella (Udinese), Toni (Bayern).

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Gattuso: I Want Roma To Win Scudetto

Milan hardman Gennaro Gattuso has admitted that he hopes Roma beat Inter to this year’s Scudetto.

The Scudetto title race has exploded into life, with Inter’s lead at the top over Roma whittled down from 11 points just a few weeks ago, to just four points.

Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso says that he naturally hopes that bitter city rivals Inter complete their collapse in the final eight games of the season.

"As a Milanista, I hope Roma win the Scudetto for Francesco Totti,” the 30-year-old said.

"Totti's team are playing really well, I believe they will succeed."

Gattuso is currently on international duty preparing for the Azzurri’s prestigious friendly with Spain in Elche tonight.

The ex-Rangers man is expected to only start from the bench, as Coach Roberto Donadoni opts for the in-form Roma star Daniele De Rossi instead.

Gattuso has won 56 caps for his country, with his crowning glory coming at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when he and Italy lifted the trophy.

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Gattuso bored by Donadoni talk

Italy’s Gennaro Gattuso has admitted that he’s found the Roberto Donadoni contract saga all rather unsavoury.

The Italian Football Federation and the national Coach have been trying to reach a compromise over an extension ever since the Azzurri qualified for Euro 2008.

The situation has understandably received widespread coverage and the Milan man isn’t too happy about it.

“The longer it goes on, the more uglier it is getting – it’s not nice to hear things about Donadoni’s contract on a daily basis,” the World Cup winner told Sky Italia.

“However, as the Coach has already demonstrated, he is someone who likes to work hard and get his team working just as hard.

“All I can say is that he should look to the future and not think about his contract. He just needs to focus on the team and I’m certain that a new deal will follow.”

Donadoni signed a two-year contract in 2006 just days after Marcello Lippi resigned following Germany 2006 glory.

The FIGC want to hand him a new deal, but are keen to include a rescission clause which would annul terms if Italy flopped at Euro 2008.

It’s now expected that the Federation and the former Milan winger will postpone contract talks until after the Swiss and Austrian Finals.

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MILAN-ATALANTA

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Kalac;

DEFENDERS: Bonera, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Simic;

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Pirlo, Seedorf;

STRIKERS: Gilardino, Paloschi, Pato.

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AC Milan 1:2 Atalanta - match report

Scorers: Floccari 32 (A), Langella 42 (A), Maldini 84 (M)

Andrea Pirlo's last-gasp penalty was saved as another disastrous Milan home performance further dampened their Champions League hopes.

The Rossoneri lost to local rivals Atalanta in January's rescheduled game and were desperate to avoid a similar outcome with the Champions League spots four points away going into this weekend. Kaka, Ronaldo, Pippo Inzaghi, Marcos Cafu, Emerson, Marek Jankulovski and Serginho were in a packed treatment room, while Moris Carrozzieri and Coach Gigi Del Neri sat out bans for the visitors. Atalanta's last Serie A victory here was a 1-0 result on March 17, 1991.

Gennaro Gattuso scored against Atalanta in January and almost did it again after eight minutes, but he blasted a poor clearance over the bar from the D.

Alberto Gilardino nodded over when Massimo Ambrosini was in a better position behind him, then Gattuso flicked on an Alexandre Pato cross a little too long for Clarence Seedorf to go clear on goal.

Gilardino had not scored at San Siro in nearly a year and chested down the ball to test Fernando Coppola at the near post.

Instead, Atalanta took the lead with their first real chance. Ferreira Pinto got away down the right and rolled across for the unmarked Sergio Floccari to come sliding in. Zeljko Kalac got a touch to the first effort, but could do nothing on the second as the Milan defence was caught ball-watching. Massimo Oddo claimed he had been fouled in the lead-up, but the linesman and referee waved play on.

Thomas Manfredini replaced the injured Leo Talamonti, but the San Siro crowd was jeering a dreadful Rossoneri performance. Andrea Pirlo tested Coppola with a free kick, but they had precious little to offer.

In an almost identical move to the one Sampdoria scored in their 2-1 win here a fortnight ago, Atalanta struck again on the counter. Floccari drew three defenders and passed for Antonio Langella to beat an Oddo challenge and fire past Kalac at the near post!

It should have been 0-3 in stoppages, but Ferreira Pinto ballooned over totally unmarked from Langella's cross. Carlo Ancelotti made two changes with Alberto Paloschi and Kakha Kaladze coming on.

Seedorf was already celebrating an equaliser after the restart when Coppola palmed Paloschi's shot into his path, but the Dutchman was flagged offside. However, replays suggest Langella was keeping Seedorf in play.

Soon after Coppola parried a Gattuso effort and Pato passed straight to the goalkeeper from Paloschi's headed assist. Milan looked like a different team and were pouring forward in waves, but this left space for the counter-attack and Cristiano Doni incredibly fired over when totally clear on goal from nine yards on Ferreira Pinto's assist.

Paolo Maldini had to clear from six yards when Langella was allowed all the space and time he wanted to go on the counter, while Kalac was at full stretch to deny another shot from the former Cagliari winger.

Pato scuffed a volley and Seedorf's shot was deflected out for a corner. Massimo Ambrosini thought he had got them back into it on 77 minutes with a header from a corner kick, but it was disallowed for a push on goalkeeper Coppola. Ambrosini was also booked for dissent.

Soon after Ambrosini nodded over the bar, but the goal came with six minutes to go. It was an unusual scorer, as Maldini got a free header from eight yards on a corner that squirmed through Coppola's hands at the near post.

Yet Simone Inzaghi went on the counter and brought a difficult save out of Kalac. It was a chaotic finale, as Alessandro Nesta was sent off for dissent and moments later Ambrosini was brought down by a Guarente sliding tackle. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and Pirlo stepped up, but his penalty was well saved by Coppola!

Milan: Kalac; Oddo (Brocchi 59), Nesta, Maldini, Favalli (Kaladze 46); Gattuso, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf; Pato, Gilardino (Paloschi 46)

Atalanta: Coppola; Rivalta, Pellegrino, Talamonti (Manfredini 33), Bellini; Ferreira Pinto, Tissone, Guarente, Langella (Padoin 69); Doni; Floccari (S Inzaghi 82)

Ref: Brighi

Sent off: Nesta 87 (M)

Missed penalty: Pirlo 89 (M)

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Player Ratings: Milan 1-2 Atalanta

Milan suffered yet another home defeat as their Serie A season goes from bad to worse. Atalanta took the honours at San Siro with a 2-1 win. Goal.com's Salvatore Bianchi rates the players' performances.

Kalac 7 – Milan can be thankful to the Aussie that they didn’t concede more than two.

Oddo 5 – Poor game, the lowlight of which was the ease in which Langella skipped past him for the second goal.

Maldini 6.5 – The best of the back four and Milan looked better at left-back once he switched there in the second half.

Nesta 6 – Started very well, making some great interceptions, but played his part in the two goals and was foolishly sent off late on

Favalli 4.5 – Really bad. It’s no surprise he was hauled off at half-time. Majorly at fault for the first goal.

Gattuso 6 – Showed his class on occasion but it was all too rare.

Pirlo 5 – What’s happened to Pirlo of late? He was that poor in this game that the penalty miss wasn’t even a shock.

Ambrosini 7 – The only Milan midfielder who really looked to have any fight in him.

Seedorf 5.5 – Really didn’t feature enough and it showed in Milan’s lack of creativity.

Pato 6 – His pace was always a threat, his movement and play dropping deep was generally good, but he forgot his shooting boots.

Gilardino 5 – Another poor display and surely another nail in the coffin of his AC Milan career

Subs

46mins Paloschi 6.5 – Looked extremely bright immediately after coming on but his influence then subsided. Still, a vast improvement on Gilardino.

46mins Kaladze 5 – Milan didn’t concede after he came on but the Georgian hardly looked sturdy at the back, lunging in early and getting beaten several times.

59mins Brocchi 5.5 – Didn’t really have the desired impact on the game.

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MILAN-CAGLIARI

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Kalac;

DEFENDERS:Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Simic;

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf;

STRIKERS: Inzaghi, Pato, Paloschi.

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AC Milan 3:1 Cagliari - match report

Scorers: Kaka 8 (M), Inzaghi 31, 69 (M), Conti 49 ©

Kaka and brace hero Pippo Inzaghi marked their comebacks by taking Milan to a sorely needed 3-1 win over Cagliari, but Zeljko Kalac was left red-faced.

The Rossoneri were in dire straits with consecutive home defeats to Sampdoria and Atalanta, while they were missing the suspended Alessandro Nesta and injured Alexandre Pato, Ronaldo, Alberto Gilardino, Emerson, Serginho, Massimo Oddo and Marek Jankulovski. Carlo Ancelotti opted for a 4-4-2 system despite the fact he had no wide men in the squad. Cagliari are staging an incredible comeback in a four-match unbeaten run, but had not won here in 11 years.

Ancelotti demanded a strong start and he got it, as in 25 seconds Gennaro Gattuso fired over.

Kaka made his comeback after a calf problem and immediately made the difference. The World and European Player of the Year sprinted forward surrounded by Cagliari shirts for around 20 metres and smashed a right-foot finish into the near bottom corner.

Massimo Ambrosini was tripped right on the line and the referee awarded a free kick, although technically the line is part of the area and so it could well have been a penalty.

Kakha Kaladze was booked and will be suspended for the Juventus game, as will Nesta.

Pippo Inzaghi has been out injured for two months, but marked his comeback with a goal, too. A corner kick was whipped in for Inzaghi's header from seven yards that bounced off the ground to beat Marco Storari, but the marking from Cagliari was poor.

Gattuso was so close to a third goal moments later. Kaka and Clarence Seedorf spread the play for Gattuso to come tearing in, but two Cagliari defenders flung themselves at his feet to act as human shields and deny a certain goal.

Milan passed the ball around quickly and Kaka stung Storari's palms with a powerful right-foot strike from Andrea Pirlo's assist. Kaka also curled a left-foot gem inches wide of the far top corner, as he was spreading his range all across the final third.

Cagliari made two changes at the break for a more attacking formation, but it was a Milan player who handed them a goal. Zeljko Kalac's howler allowed a Daniele Conti free kick to squirm out of his hands and under his body when the ball was already in his grasp!

Moments later both Conti and Parola had shots charged down, then Kalac pushed a Pasquale Foggia shot out for a corner from a tight angle.

At the other end Inzaghi volleyed a Seedorf cross off target, but Cagliari nearly returned Kalac's favour as Diego Lopez's header back to his 'keeper almost turned into an own goal and floated inches past the post.

Former Milan youth product Alessandro Matri's overhead kick was wide, but there was more bad news for the Rossoneri as Giuseppe Favalli limped off with a suspected thigh strain. Marcos Cafu came on, moving Daniele Bonera to left-back.

Cagliari threatened an equaliser as Matri got in front of Cafu to meet a Foggia cross, but scuffed his shot from seven yards.

Gattuso was stretchered off with a bruised knee and was replaced by Cristian Brocchi, but was able to walk off the field after treatment.

Milan restored their two-goal cushion with a goal of sheer determination from Super Pippo Inzaghi. He sprung the offside trap and dribbled round Storari. The goalkeeper got a touch to it and he lost his footing, but he got back up, turned and steered the ball into the net despite three Cagliari defenders in his path.

Kaka sent Seedorf clear on goal, but the Dutchman slipped up and the chance went begging. The strain was starting to show on Milan, as Pirlo was the final player substituted, but Kaka and Ambrosini were both asking to be taken off.

Robert Acquafresca almost made the most of a weak backpass, while Storari smothered a Daniele Bonera strike. Kalac did better on another Conti free kick this time, capturing it at the near post.

Kaka almost completed his brace too in stoppages, a splendid right-foot curler palmed out of the top corner by Storari.

Milan: Kalac; Bonera, Kaladze, Maldini, Favalli (Cafu 61); Gattuso (Brocchi 66), Pirlo (Gourcuff 75), Ambrosini; Seedorf; Kakà, Inzaghi

Cagliari: Storari; Ferri, Lopez, Canini, Agostini; Fini (Parola 46), Conti (Acquafresca 74), Biondini; Cossu (Jeda 46); Foggia, Matri

Ref: Rosetti

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Player Ratings: AC Milan 3-1 Cagliari

Carlo Garganese rates the players on show in Milan's 3-1 win over Cagliari at San Siro tonight...

Kalac 4 – Had virtually nothing to do in the first half, but was guilty of a quite horrendous gaffe to allow Daniele Conti to score. This hysterical howler proves that Milan need a new number one for next season.

Bonera 7 – One of the surprises of the night. Bombed up and down the right flank, causing Agostini no end of problems. Troubled a little by Foggia in the second half, but still a very encouraging display.

Maldini 6 – The 39-year-old had his cigar and slippers out in the first 45 minutes, although he was made to work more after the interval.

Kaladze 6 – Similar analysis to that of Maldini. The Georgian picked up a yellow card which will rule him out of next week’s game with Juventus. Alessandro Nesta will also miss the trip to Turin.

Favalli 6 – Defensively had little to do, although he did not contribute too much as an offensive weapon.

Gattuso 6.5 – Never stopped running, Gattuso was biting into tackles, and certainly seemed to find an extra half-a-yard before going off injured.

Pirlo 7.5 – Pirlo has been dreadfully poor recently and has looked extremely tired, however tonight he was back to something approaching his best. Dictated the tempo and created Inzaghi’s first goal.

Ambrosini 7 – Playing in a more defensive role tonight, Ambrosini succeeded in keeping the dangerous Foggia quiet in the first half. Overall an impressive performance.

Seedorf 7 – Occupying his favorite trequartista position, Seedorf played at a much higher tempo tonight, with many classy one-touch passes.

Kaka 8.5 – Back to the kind of form that saw him crowned as European and World Footballer of the Year in 2007. Scored a cracking goal, and was at times unstoppable.

Inzaghi 9 – Rolled back the years tonight with some brilliant movement and two clinical strikes to lead Milan on their way to victory.

Subs - Cafu 6, Brocchi 6.5, Gourcuff N.A

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AC Milan Christmas Party

With Wife