Gattuso confirms eating snail before the game, gives ridiculous reason for it

Gennaro Gattuso (L) giving instructions at the touchline in a past match. [Photo/Courtesy]

AC Milan boss Gennaro Gattuso has opened up about a bizarre incident in which he shocked his teammates by eating live snails before playing Manchester United in round 16 of Champions League in 2010.

Gattuso, known as a tough controversial midfielder during his days picked up a live snail and munched it shortly before the game. The Italian has admitted to the reports but has given a more shocking reason that he wanted to relieve stress before the clash.

When asked about this, Gattuso not only admitted but conceded that he has done more bizzare acts than this in the name of relieving pre-match tensions.

As revealed by Daily Mail, he said:

'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 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.' 

AC Milan lost the game 7-2 on aggregate and crashed out of the tourney. The Italian has taken up the mantle of managing AC Milan, where he is battling to bring the team to European football-Uefa Champions League.