Interview with Gattuso from the club website:

MILANELLO - Rino Gattuso was present at the Media Open Day and started by saying: 'The final in Athens is important. The head is on it. If you want to know if I sleep, I do but the tension is there. I can't wait for this match. Gerrard said I was a kitten? I don't know, I would be an ugly kitten, I have a beard, I am hairy... I don't want to answer it because I also believe it was a play on word from the newspapers on what Gerrard said. I don't know if he feels that about me but I certainly think that he is a great player who always gives his all. I don't feel like a kitten but a player who never gives up. Istanbul? I hope the memory of it gives us the right energy. It's difficult to forget that evening. It will give the whole side that something extra to win. Is there a comparison between the national side and the Champions League? I don't want to start a problem with Francesco, maybe he says that his relationship with Roma is particular, he was born in Rome, a Roma fan and it was a long since they were in the final but the national side is another thing, there is no comparison between the Champions League and the World Cup. I cannot describe what it is like to wear the blue shirt, representing my country.'

Looking back on Istanbul: 'It can give us a lot. It has been in our heads for two years and returned a lot of times. It's a symbol. There have been a lot of false things said including that we celebrated at half time. That's the worse thing for me. A club and a team like Milan would not do that. At the end of the first half the Cup was heading to Via Turati but there was the second half. I haven't watched the game again, I have just seen bits, I have avoided watching it all. Compliments to Liverpool for winning it but it's a pity about the lies about half time.' The scandals: 'Even after winning the World Cup we have to go to the moon. Scandals happen everywhere. With all the competition and money in football it is bound to happen that someone will try something clever. However, Italian football has done important things on the pitch over the last few years. Now it's time to call a halt.'

'In the year we won at Manchester in the Champions League and I made a bet with Carlo Ancelotti that I have not honoured because of my commitments to the national side. Now I am doing well betting against Dida in every game. Hopefully, it will finish like Manchester. Returning to Istanbul, I don't know many teams that would get back to the semi-finals and then the final. This happened because the club left the players relaxed and said nothing for two months and didn't cause problems. It's down to Milan that we get back. Since I was little I have always felt the dream to winning the World Cup, then then the Champions Cup and other international Cups, then the title. I would always prefer the Champions Cup to two or three titles, I would prefer to be European champion even if in Italy winning the title is more difficult. The prestige of the Champions League is enormous.'

In closing: 'Being in this final signifies a particular DNA of Milan. I have been fortunate to have been here for a number of years and I have to say that Milan is special. The first day I came into Milanello I saw the photos of Baresi, Gullit and Van Basten lifting trophies. These things weigh. I thought in the early years at Milan I wouldn't win anything. Then bit by bit this club build a side that has been respected in Europe over the last five years. This is Milan: the players change but the history remains the same. What are we saying in the dressing room? There's little to say, we certainly aren't thinking about penalties. We don't take the pitch for that. Anything can happen in 120 minutes. The game won't be won in midfield but by the side that plays more compact all over the pitch. Liverpool are a side that can make you play badly, they get a lot of players behind the ball, we have to play well, not sit back and always be good off the mark. If we come against Dudek? What a question... I'll congratulate him. He was good for them and a nightmare for us. Anyway, we have to congratulate both Liverpool and Milan for getting back to the final after two years. Benitez predicted this final back in January. We didn't think about reaching such a great objective back in January.'

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If Gerrard thinks gatusso is a kitten, i have no idea what kind of kittens he has encountered

I highly doubt Gerrard said anything like that, as Rino said, it's probably just the media stirring things up.

Gerrard knows not to say anything stupid before a big game, it'll only serve as motivation for the other team.

Actually, Gerrard DID say it. In his autobiography. It's just that the quote's been dredged up and repeated ad nauseum over the last couple of weeks.

Good. More reason for Rino to kick his @ss all over the place then.

That part confused me a bit; what is he referring to?

Some betting stuff... that game against Manchester was from two seasons ago ('04-'05) though...

Maybe the bet was that he'd lift the trophy!?? Then again, what does the Italian NT have to do with that?

Can somebody please translate that particular part from the Italian version of it cause it seems like something's lost in translation!

@BMWTaylor

Cool sig

p.s. In card games the Joker eats the Ace, but I guess that is how it has been this season

Here's the Italian version of the betting discussion:

"L'anno in cui abbiamo vinto la Champions a Manchester avevo fatto nel corso della stagione una scommessa con Carlo Ancelotti che poi non ho onorato per via degli impegni con la Nazionale. Adesso stanno portando bene le scommesse che faccio ad ogni partita con Dida."

I think it's a mostly accurate literal translation but some nuance may be lost. My Italian isn't quite fluent enough to pick up the nuance on this one, unfortunately.

what? harharhar.. he'll retire after the final for the words that he said..