Tottenham advance on last eight as Milan lose their dignity

by Mike Martin  @thefootietweet

It was something of a smash and grab affair at the San Siro: Mathieu Flamini tried to smash Vedran Corluka’s ankle before Gennaro Gattuso grabbed Tottenham coach Joe Jordan by the throat.  Later, the snarling Milan midfielder, dispossessed of all his senses, would headbutt the same man; an assault unwise both in its nature and choice of victim.

Both players have offered rather meek apologies and Gattuso faces a rather longer suspension than the one match ban activated by his booking for a bad foul on Steven Pienaar.  If UEFA have any sense, they will relieve the entire group stage next season of the Italian international’s presence.  Anything less would constitute a contemptible inconsistency after Didier Drogba received a four match ban (initially six before appeal) for doing little more than shout at Tom Henning Øvrebø, the Norwegian dunce whose dereliction of duties during the Chelsea-Barcelona semi final of 2009 should have resulted in his instant receipt of a P45.

On balance, Flamini’s offence last night was the worst; a less timid referee than Stéphane Lannoy would have given the former Arsenal midfielder his marching orders.  Partly, perhaps, it is because of the surprise factor.  Gattuso’s transgressions inspire in the observer little more than a sense of weary resignation.  Gattuso may be a World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner but to this observer he has rarely been anything more than a monumentally overrated spiteful lunatic.

As a holding midfielder, he was not a patch on his opposite number, the Brazilian Sandro, on Tuesday evening but then neither were any of his teammates.  Milan have not won an egg cup since 2007 and it was not hard to see why.  During the first half, casual presses of the Sky i button were required to remind the viewer who the home team were as constant diagonals to Peter Crouch, coupled with the verve of Aaron Lennon caused Milan’s ageing defence problems.

Milan were better after half time; they could scarcely have been worse.  Unfortunately, their main goal threat came from veteran Colombian centre back, twice denied superbly by Heurelho Gomes, who had a rather better night than he did on his previous visit to the Giuseppe Meazza stadium.

Yepes, as it used to be said of former Spurs defender Ramón Vega, was a threat at both ends of the pitch.  Continental drift moves at a greater pace than the Milan defender did when faced with Aaron Lennon’s late break.  Happily, Lennon is no longer a winger who habitually overruns the ball and his pass to Peter Crouch made the only goal of the game.

With his side deservedly beaten, Gattuso took leave of his senses at the final whistle, resuming his contretemps with Jordan.  He has been charged with misconduct by UEFA and faces a lengthy ban, though the likelihood is that all but one match will have to be served next season.