Valencia boss Gennaro Gattuso has explained why he “saw the Virgin Mary” after facing Liverpool as a player.
The Reds played against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, where Gattuso was part of the Italian side’s line-up. Gattuso was the player who fouled Steven Gerrard which earned Liverpool a penalty which was converted at the second attempt by Xabi Alonso to make it 3-3 on the night.
Gattuso is now managing Spanish club Valencia, and was speaking after his side’s 5-1 win over Getafe in La Liga. Despite the victory, Gattuso remarked about Liverpool’s win over Milan 17 years ago.
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"I've lost a Champions League final that I was winning 3-0 against Liverpool and I saw the Virgin Mary in person,” Gattuso is quoted telling reporters, via Goal .
“I think that in football you have to respect it and always be at your best."
As claimed by Goal, citing the Virgin Mary is a popular Italian phrase to express anger at the situation. Valencia were 5-0 up after a little more than an hour, before Getafe got a goal back around 10 minutes from time to deny them a clean sheet.
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