Following AC Milan’s 5-1 win over Fiorentina, Rossoneri coach Gennaro Gattuso was keen to heap praise on his players who finished the season in style.
Milan needed victory to ensure European football next year, and Giovanni Simeone bagged the opener for La Viola. However, a Hakan Calhanoglu masterclass was too much for the visitors.
The Turk bagged an equaliser three minutes after the Fiorentina goal, then laid on Patrick Cutrone for a diving header, and assisted Milan’s fourth, with the 20-year-old striker getting two before being taken off to a standing ovation. Giacomo Bonaventura got the fifth late in the game.
“The players deserve the credit as they have always stuck to our methods, and we start again from the game today,” Gattuso told the press.
“To get all the points today, 90 percent of the credit should go to the players. We have always trained well, even when times were difficult.
“I did some good things, in had the five months with the Primavera, so don’t forget that. I started to develop something different.
“We played a different game in the Primavera and I tried to bring that to the first team.”
During his pre-match press conference, Gattuso said he would run 30km if Milan beat Fiorentina, and it looks as if he will stick to his word.
“Tomorrow [Monday] I have to go to Pirlo’s match, then between Tuesday and Wednesday I’ll do 30km. We just need to organise a car and leave.”
Calhanoglu and Cutrone were the stars of the show for Milan with the latter bagging two goals.
“I like the Turkish No.10 more and more, he is an atypical No.10 who doesn’t just like playing beautiful passes, but also has the knife between his teeth and he finally scored a freekick.
“We hope that he doesn’t lose this desire to continue to improve. He mustn’t forget where he started, and I’m happy to have found such an important player.
“For two months Cutrone has made me less angry, as he does the things we ask and there is even more too for improvement.
“But I also want to talk about Kalinic, he played two tough games against Atalanta and Fiorentina. To play this kind of football, where you have to keep the ball, when you aren’t playing well is very difficult.”
