Serie A: AC Milan beat Lazio as scuffle breaks out

AC Milan knew they had to win to keep their Champions League qualification hope alive after AS Roma had defeated Udinese 1-0 earlier in the day.

Milan: AC Milan strengthened their grip on fourth place in Serie A with a 1-0 win over Lazio at San Siro which that ended with a brawl between players from both sides.

Gennaro Gattuso’s side knew they had to win to keep their Champions League qualification hope alive after AS Roma had defeated Udinese 1-0 earlier in the day.

Franck Kessie’s penalty in the 10th minute into the first half secured AC Milan a vital three points, extending their lead over Lazio to six points. However, Lazio have a game in hand.

Tensions spilled over after the final whistle as a scuffle broke out between the two sets of players who will face off again at the San Siro on April 24 in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. Earlier, the first leg ended goalless in Rome.

“I even gave myself a thigh strain running over to calm everyone down,” Gattuso said.

“I was on the bench, I saw some words were flying between the sets of players. The important thing is that it ends there.“When I was a player, this sort of thing fired me up, but now I see it with different eyes and am too old for that.

“Plus, if I launch a slap, I’m very likely to get one back and they’ve all been to the gym more than me.”

Currently, AC Milan are at the fourth position with 55 points, just two points behind third-placed Inter Milan, who play at Frosinone on Sunday. Fifth-placed Roma are just one point behind Milan, while Atalanta (52) and Torino (49) still have to play in this round of matches.