Serie A
AC Milan: Gattuso on the brink after Champions League failure
The AC Milan boss said he is "in pieces" after his side finished fifth on the final day and will speak to the club about his position.
Gennaro Gattuso will consider his future as he has been left "in pieces" after a gruelling Serie A campaign that saw AC Milan narrowly miss out on Champions League qualification.
Milan ended their season with a 3-2 victory at SPAL but it was not enough to leapfrog rivals Inter or Atalanta – the Rossoneri falling just a point short in their pursuit of Champions League football.
Gattuso's future has been the subject of widespread speculation throughout the season and the Milan great – who was appointed head coach in 2017 – is eager for feedback from the club.
"I thank the team. Finishing on 68 points gives me pride, even if it hurts that we didn't qualify for the Champions League," Gattuso told DAZN. "A coach's work must be evaluated by the club and the experts. I will meet the club and we'll talk. I want to hear what they think of my work.
"We made mistakes during the season and, from now on, must make as few as possible, but I believe this was a positive year.
"The biggest regret is that we didn't keep up the same levels of consistency over the past 3-4 months. We went through too many bad periods.
"I don't agree when I hear people say that my players have grown. Many of them have played well below the levels of their capability, but we're still a team who have quality and potential. I don't know if we can improve on the 68 points we've earned this season. It'll be difficult.
"I feel I have too much history with this club, I felt more pressure than I probably should have. I've barely slept in the past 18 months, mentally I'm in pieces and that is something I must consider."
Meanwhile, Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis released a statement post-match that read: "Despite tonight's win, we are disappointed to have fallen short of UEFA Champions League qualification.
"The team fought hard to the very end and I want to thank each and every one of them for all of their remarkable efforts this season, having overcome several injuries and other setbacks along the way.
"We actually finished the season with the highest points in the league since 2012-13. We now look forward to playing in the UEFA Europa League for the third year in a row, and I'm confident the team will continue to grow and achieve success.
"I've been sincerely impressed by the extraordinary support from all our fans throughout the season. They've been consistently positive and upbeat, even in our darkest moments, lifting us each and every time. I want to thank them all.
"We shall dedicate the next few days to analysing the whole season and decide the next steps for the growth of our club."