Gattuso: AC Milan's slump an embarrassment

AC Milan's dire run of form in Serie A continued with a 2-0 defeat at Torino on Sunday, much to Gennaro Gattuso's chagrin.

Gennaro Gattuso labelled AC Milan's form an embarrassment after a 2-0 defeat to Torino left its Champions League hopes in doubt.

Milan succumbed to second-half goals from Andrea Belotti and Alex Berenguer at Olimpico Grande Torino, with Alessio Romagnoli also seeing red on Sunday.

The result saw Milan drop to seventh with four games remaining – Torino moving above it into sixth – as the race for Champions League qualification looks set to go to the wire.

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And head coach Gattuso could not hide his frustration with Milan, which has won just one of its last seven league outings and was dumped out of the Coppa Italia by Lazio in midweek.

"We are having less fun than two months ago and that takes a toll. We're not sharp, we think too much and that saps your enthusiasm," Gattuso, who seems to be under mounting pressure, told a news conference.

"This is why I say that I can't get in the heads of the players, as I want them to have the eye of the tiger, a constant grit and determination, but it's not happening.

"I am tied to results, I am responsible. We are not only having embarrassing results for our team, we're embarrassing an historic club.

"We lack calm, a series of results to give us confidence. We're practically punching ourselves in the face, as we gave away negative situations."

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Room for improvement

Asked if he was being too harsh on his players, Gattuso replied: "I was always harsh on myself as a player and I am the same as a coach, but it's the only way I know how to improve.

"If I analyse the bigger picture, it's true that Milan haven't even challenged for the top four for years, so we've done some good things.

"We're not the best team in Italy, but we have a squad that can improve.

"I have responsibility and I've certainly made mistakes, but in three or four years I'll learn to be more positive in my analysis."

Milan has an eight-day break before taking on Bologna on May 6, and rounds off its Serie A campaign with games against Fiorentina, Frosinone and SPAL.