[An open letter sent to Corriere dello Sport. Translated and copied from the official Milan website.]

by Rino Gattuso

Milan will play a decisive encounter on Wednesday evening. Ever since I have worn this great club's shirt, I have played in so many of these high-tension games that I don't remember them all. Against Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Giggs we Rossoneri will hold the honour of Italian football high, but also render our history more prestigious because no one has played four quarter-finals in the last five years of the Champions League. If we manage to overcome last week's defeat at Old Trafford then we have the possibility to play in a third final. Considering all the problems over the last year, it is a miracle to have arrived here. Milan were forced to start from the preliminary round which changed the preparation, with us world champions called back from our vacation. We paid for what was an injustice. Then we had lots of injuries (Nesta, Kaladze, Kaká, Inzaghi, me too), but in spite of everything, nobody has yet been successful in sinking us. Now we have a chance of knocking out a side like Manchester United and it will take something special: the help of our fans.

We will put in pride, passion and experience. However, our fans will have to give something more. We want an atmosphere like Old Trafford last Tuesday, heated and correct. Manchester United were in difficulty and after the break the crowd got behind them and dragged them to victory. Also in the name of my team-mates, we call on the San Siro to give us that final push to Athens. Give us a hand in our difficult moments against a great side like [Sir] Alex Ferguson's, don't let us down. We can take this historical assault together, we will go to Athens together. Then if, even if we with our desire to do something special, Manchester United demonstrate they are stronger than us, we will accept that verdict sportingly. At the end, we have won something important. Remember the official communication from UEFA at the start of the season that they would keep an eye on our games and our behaviour? I, like the whole dressing room, still feel bad about that. However, it's wonderful that UEFA, in the person of Michel Platini, has acknowledged our efforts and our correctness. He said that the game at Old Trafford between us and Manchester United has been a beautiful advert for football. We have taken a moral revenge and it would appeal to us to make another advert and turn things around at the San Siro, with our victory. And if you, fans and friends, get behind us for ninety minutes, then maybe we will make it.

I love you Gattuso *tearing*

good letter.

he doesn't look so smart on the pitch though

My God, I would sacrifice my left hand to be at San Siro on Wednesday. That game will be one of the greatest in years in Milan, and the tension will be absolutely incredible.
Am I wrong or aren't Milan allowed to fill the stadium completely(84 000) this time? Compared to the 67 000 or such that were allowed in against Bayern and Celtic.

67,000 only allowed..... but the love of the fans will be massive

Rino.

Makes me proud to be a Milan fan =D

Does anyone know how many Man Utd. fans will be there?

^^^^^^

Not enough obviously... if we win

And too many obviously if we lose.

Lot of cvnts for sure.

That's all we want

They were granted something like 4500 tickets, but you know that the English won't stay true to that quota

Anyway, let's hope the San Siro can roar our 11 lions that will be on the pitch to Athens

He's off again Damn Maltan's

But this is a fact

And the frase is 'Damn Maltese'

ahhh i'm so pumped!!!!
"it's times like these you learn to live again
it's times like these you give and give again
it's times like these you learn to love again
it's times like these time and time again "
-foo fighters

it's times like these we milan fans die for! forza milan!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE RINOOOOOOOO!!!
HES A TRUE MILANISTA AND A FIGHTER AND THE NEXT CAPTAIN!!!!

my dream would be for gatttuso to put us in the finals... imagine how insane he would celebrate if he scored late in the game to win it for us...

hes mad as hell, you can just tell. Cristiano better watch out for his knee cap when hes doing all his fancy step overs and dives.

"I hope they won't let us down"??

Why has he and Kaka been talking about Milan fans lately? When did they let them down??

They've always been there!

Not really, this season Milan fans haven't been great neither have Milan for most of the season.

In Serie A mostly and this is due to the Calciopoli issue... many have been disappointed, season ticket holders are less than half compared to last season!

I think a town of only 1,2m people cannot support a full San Siro for both Inter and Milan specially considering the fact that all over Lombardia there are many prestigious clubs...

in the derby, par exemple, they didnt chant us usual because of some restrictions... cant remember well

They went on 'strike' for one game because of restrictions or somesuch. It could have been the derby, as mchanna says.

I'm sure it was a derby... someone was there and told me...

it's terrible, of all games the derby

Yeah ... It was the derby, and it was about the banners ... Some where too violent or something like that

This is a hoot. The Sun "quoted" Gattuso as saying that tomorrow's match will be more important than last year's WC final.

Gattuso has been in many semi-finals... I don't think he'd say that.