Rossoneri midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has said his side would have dealt with Manchester United differently...

Gennaro Gattuso, never known for mincing his words, has won many fans through his no-nonsense attitude, which extends to life off the pitch - as he demonstrated again this week.

Ringhio has been sidelined by injury but spoke at the opening of a special sports centre for children in his home town of Schiavonea, near Cosenza.

Il Corriere dello Sport, reports that he talked of lower wages, the Champions League and Milan’s league position.

“In times like these, the lowering of wages would be a case of common sense; I have already spoken to [Milan’s vice-president Adriano] Galliani about it. If the club asks anything of me, I am ready to do it," he said.

And regarding the Champions League exit of Milan's city rivals, the Italian international continued, “If we had faced Manchester United, we would have won. The Champions League is always unpredictable, and it is vital for us to get back into it. One year in the UEFA Cup is enough for us.”

The hard man also dealt with the future of the Rossoneri, “If we can beat Napoli we should be third, but next year, if [Paolo] Maldini goes and we don’t keep [Giuseppe] Favalli, we need another defender to help Thiago Silva out.

“When will I return? The doctors said it would be at least five months, that means I can’t even start thinking about it until May,” he concluded.

- Goal.com