Gennaro Gattuso explains why he ate a snail to prepare to face Man Utd

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AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso admits he ate a live snail to “break the tension” ahead of his side’s Champions League last-16 match against Manchester United in 2010.

Gattuso, 40, was responding to the accusation made by ex-Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo, and the former hatchet man held nothing back, as he revealed the details of the incident.

An animated character on the touchline, Gattuso took time from answering questions about his side’s Coppa Italia final clash with Juventus on Wednesday, to reminisce about the outlandish story from his playing days.

When quizzed about the incident, Gattuso gave reporters (via AS) a characteristically pithy response: “I’ve done worse things than eating a snail alive.

“The point is, it was not about the snail anyway. I’m saying this because my point is that in that particular moment there was a need to do something to break the tension.

“Given that I have no problems doing anything and we were just few hours before the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United and there was a massive pressure on us.”

Gattuso might now feel his bizarre method of easing the tension was for nothing as the Rossoneri lost 7-2 on aggregate to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United eight years ago.

The 40-year-old has been in charge of the San Siro club since taking over from Vincenzo Montella in November, and while a top four finish is now a mathematical impossibility, Gattuso will be looking to win Milan’s first Coppa Italia since 2003.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Gattuso was recently in the spotlight after intimidating Milan teenager Hachim Mastour by threatening to knock his teeth out if the midfielder continued to post videos demonstrating his skills to social media.

Milan are currently sixth in Serie A and, along with their cup final against Juventus on Wednesday, they have two matches remaining in the league: Atalanta away and Fiorentina at home.