Gattuso handed four-match ban for headbutting Spurs coach
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San heroes! Harry Redknapp lauds his side after San Siro win but calls for UEFA to ban bad boys Flamini and Gattuso
Getting to grips: Gattuso (right) grabs Tottenham coach Joe Jordan (centre) whilst boss Redknapp tries to intervene
Peter Crouch struck to clinch a memorable 1-0 Champions League win for Tottenham over AC Milan, whose captain Gennaro Gattuso was involved in a butting storm at the final whistle.
The former Italy midfielder clashed with Spurs assistant coach Joe Jordan after a tackle from Mathieu Flamini led to Tottenham right back Vedran Corluka being carried off.
At the final whistle, as the visitors celebrated a momentous win earned by Crouch's cool finish, Gattuso butted Jordan in a face-off after an exchange of words.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: 'I don't know why it all got so silly.
Gattuso had a flare-up with Joe Jordan. I don't know why. He obviously hasn't done his homework. He could have picked a fight with someone other than Joe. He put his head into Joe's face for some reason. It was crazy. He lost his head during the game (but) the (Flamini) tackle was the worst part for me.'
Milan should have been down to 10 men after Flamini's cynical two-footed challenge floored Corluka on the hour mark. Flamini was only booked by hapless French referee Stephane Lannoy.
Redknapp added: 'The tackle from Flamini was horrendous. It was two feet off the floor, a leg-breaking tackle. He's done some damage. Corluka will probably have an X-ray. He could have broken his leg, easily. I'd like them (UEFA) to have a look at that tackle. How he doesn't give him a red card, I don't know.'
Bad blood: Tempers flared between both teams after Flamini's challenge on Corluka (floor)
Former Arsenal midfielder Flamini later sought out Corluka, saying: 'I went to the Tottenham locker room to check on Corluka's condition and to apologise.'
But the Croatia player said later that Flamini 'should be in jail for that tackle'.
Former Rangers player Gattuso, who will be suspended for the second leg after a yellow card for a foul on Steven Pienaar was also contrite later.
He said: 'I am sorry for the headbutt, it was my responsibility, I should not have done it. I spoke to Joe Jordan during the game but I won't reveal what was said. I have no problems with any of the Spurs players, just Joe Jordan, I spoke to him in Scottish.'
Milan, seven-time champions of Europe, thought they had snatched a draw, only to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic's bicycle kick disallowed for a push on the excellent Michael Dawson.
The only goal was a cool Crouch finish after a wonderful ball from substitute Luka Modric sent Aaron Lennon speeding past Mario Yepes as Tottenham broke with blistering pace.
Net call: Crouch slots the ball past Milan substitute keeper Amelia for the winner
Redknapp, who had special praise for his two holding midfielders Wilson Palacios and Sandro, added: 'It was a great night, a fantastic performance. We set out how we wanted to play and the players responded and couldn't have done any more.
'They did exactly what we asked of them. We got a great result. Exactly what we deserved.
'Palacios and Sandro did a fantastic job. Sandro is a lad with no real experience, he's only played a few games for us, and I felt him and Wilson responded to each other, got after them, didn't give them space to play and were excellent for us. Milan didn't play because we didn't let them play. We've got to make sure we finish the job now at Tottenham.'
Goalscorer Crouch said: 'It was a great game to play in and I think we thoroughly deserved it. We defended manfully and created chances, this is a great result for us.
'The job's far from finished because they are a great team, but we are full of confidence as you can expect and at White Hart Lane we feel we can beat anyone.'
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aiyoh...................the Milano Grand-pappas can't handle Spurs even ah...............
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Gattuso look like a hooligan than a soccer player
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gattuso always does that....touching of faces and grabbing of necks. I think it's pretty amusing actually ha. But spurs played with more hunger last night. No bale and modric and they could still beat milan, not bad for a team which has been away from top flight european football for so long.
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while it was modric who get the ball and pass it to lennon
and crouch goal!!!
wala0 y no defoe?
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I wonder if Milan lost that match on purpose, I mean come on teams like Tottenham should be easy though
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Originally posted by TIB1167D:
I wonder if Milan lost that match on purpose, I mean come on teams like Tottenham should be easy though
Lose on purpose? What for? Tottenham not only have a goal advantage, they also had an away goal. Isn't that a tougher mountain to climb instead of winning?
AC Milan is a team on transition la. The old guards are slowly retreating and the new ones are still finding their feet.
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Spurs is a team on the up, compared to Ac Milan, who is a team of old farts lol.
Ac Milan need tor revamp their defence and midfield to replace these old farts like Gattuso, Pirlo, Nesta.
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The Italian league is weaker than the Premier league lah... League leader and can lose at home to a side that don't know will make it to the CL for next year also or not...
If they can't even make it in San Siro... What chance they got at White Hart Lane where Bale and a fully fit Modric will return...
Great showing from Spurs.
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Originally posted by CKeer:
Lose on purpose? What for? Tottenham not only have a goal advantage, they also had an away goal. Isn't that a tougher mountain to climb instead of winning?
AC Milan is a team on transition la. The old guards are slowly retreating and the new ones are still finding their feet.
I mean look when you play teams like tottenham atleast come out with a win, I mean if you lose wouldn't that lose face?
On the other hand, I can agree with you, and I won't be surprised if the defence is being made a mockery of.
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Gattuso handed four-match ban for headbutting Spurs coach Jordan
Angry man: Gennaro Gattuso grabs Tottenham coach Joe Jordan during their spat
Gennaro Gattuso has been hit with a four-match ban after UEFA ruled he 'assaulted' Joe Jordan following Spurs' 1-0 win over AC Milan last Tuesday.
The 33-year-old former Rangers midfielder is already suspended for the return leg at White Hart Lane on March 9, so will miss five European matches in total.
But, despite shoving and headbutting the Tottenham assistant coach as he stood on the sidelines, the Italian World Cup winner would be eligible for the Champions League Final at Wembley on May 28 should Milan qualify.
A UEFA statement said: 'The Control and Disciplinary body ruled that Gattuso had assaulted the Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Joe Jordan after the match.'
Milan have confirmed they will not appeal against the decision.
The Italian's agent, Claudio Pasqualin, alleged that Gattuso had been provoked after Jordan, a former Milan striker, called him 'a f***** Italian b******', a claim the Scot vehemently denied.
A disgusted Jordan told Sportsmail afterwards: 'To come up with something like that is pathetic.
'It is completely and utterly untrue and something so wildly inaccurate doesn't do him much credit.
'He clearly doesn't realise I consider playing for Milan the proudest time of my career, that my daughter lives and works in Italy, and that I love the country and the people.'
Gattuso apologised through the media following the astonishing flare-up, but Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said the Italian had not said sorry to Jordan personally.
Redknapp said: 'Joe wouldn't insult anyone Italian because he loves it (out there).
'He (Gattuso) just lost his head on the day. I don't know what happened (but) he was out of order.
Up close and personal: Jordan (left) gets it in the neck from Gattuso last week
'It's forgotten now - he's had a great career and it was a one-off.'
Gattuso headbutted Jordan at the end of the San Siro clash, having earlier grabbed hold of the former Scotland international in a touchline row.
The first spat occurred after Spurs full-back Vedran Corluka was carried off following a two-footed tackle by Mathieu Flamini, which resulted only in a yellow card.
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Originally posted by TIB1167D:
I mean look when you play teams like tottenham atleast come out with a win, I mean if you lose wouldn't that lose face?
On the other hand, I can agree with you, and I won't be surprised if the defence is being made a mockery of.
Precisely. If losing to Spurs would make Milan lose face, then why would Milan even consider throwing the match?
Don't think so hard. Milan lost because they had a bad day at the office, so to speak. Full stop. Don't try to dig for a conspiracy if none exists to begin with.
Even champions have their bad days. Don't tell me Manchester United intentionally lost to Wolverhampton recently.
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Originally posted by zocoss:
The Italian league is weaker than the Premier league lah... League leader and can lose at home to a side that don't know will make it to the CL for next year also or not...
If they can't even make it in San Siro... What chance they got at White Hart Lane where Bale and a fully fit Modric will return...
Great showing from Spurs.
Actually, Harry Redknapp was spot on to throw Crouch in.
He knew the italian old men would struggle to follow Spurs pacy attackers and he targeted their main problem - HEIGHT.
In the end, old men can play for Serie A and still win games, but not UCL. Inter got hit by Bale. Milan by Lennon.
The next match is at White Hart Lane. With the deadly winding road to North London, I doubt Milan can find their feet especially with Gattuso out.
I predict Spurs to progress at the expense of Milan.
