Gattuso eyes injury challenge

AC Milan and Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said he was ready for his latest challenge as he travelled to Belgium to see a specialist about his ruptured cruciate knee ligament.

Milan stunned the Italian football world on Monday by announcing that Gattuso had damaged his knee ligament during Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Catania, despite carrying on playing to the end of the game.

“I believe I can also win this battle and to sail through the recovery period,” he told Telelombardia before flying out to Belgium.

“There’s a lot worse in life, there’s no need to despair. I’ll never lose my enthusiasm, regardless of what they tell me in Belgium.

“The Milan doctors keep asking me how I managed to play on with a ruptured cruciate ligament.

“It doesn’t hurt that much, I don’t really believe I’ve torn anything, even if the scans show otherwise.”

Milan don’t yet know for how long Gattsuo will be missing but it could well be several months.

The injury news has come at a bad time for Milan, who already had several big name players on the sidelines, such as Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Nesta.

They will, however, welcome former England captain David Beckham on loan during the January transfer window.