Soccer Extreme : Leonardo said there was a “chain reaction” from Gennaro Gattuso's injury that led to Milan's capitulation in the derby.“Up until the first goal I'd say Milan were right there against a tough and organised team. After that we struggled to deal with the difficult moment and that is something we need to improve,” said the Coach after a 4-0 defeat to Inter.
The game changed when Gattuso picked up an ankle injury, brought down Samuel Eto'o for a penalty and was sent off before half-time, all while he was waiting for a substitution.
“Gattuso got hurt and had to keep coming off for treatment. It was our free kick and he had to run back and gave away this penalty.
“He was meant to come off, [Clarence] Seedorf wasn't ready, and the delay proved decisive. He is in hospital now for tests and those minutes made all the difference.”
The biggest problem seemed to be psychological, as Milan visibly crumbled once Inter took the lead.
“I think there was a little uncertainty, but also a series of incidents that made it tougher for us. Gattuso was injured and struggled to get back, so the delay in preparing Seedorf due to a calf problem added up and the game changed.
“When a player is injured and gets there after his opponent, these things can happen. It was just one thing after another and it turned into a chain reaction. This penalty would never have happened if Gattuso had been fit.”
Leonardo stood up for Ronaldinho, who was jeered by the fans when he was replaced in the second half.
“Ronaldinho didn't have a great performance, but I don't think it is right to make individual criticism. As a team we did not deal with the situation properly and that is what we must work on.
“The 4-3-1-2 system with Ronaldinho is a little different and he can play a more advanced role, so to sustain this trident we need a very compact midfield. We achieved that in the first half-hour, but then things happened and we cannot judge the squad on these two games alone.” (football-italia)