Chelsea loan star gives both barrels to AC Milan boss Gattuso

Tiemoue Bakayoko has rubbished Gennaro Gattuso’s claim that it took the Chelsea loan star eight minutes to get ready as a substitute.

The midfielder was asked to warm up as a sub during AC Milan’s victory over Bologna, with the France international insisting he prepared himself “immediately”.

Gattuso and Bakayoko were seen exchanging words during the first half of Milan’s 2-1 victory at San Siro on Monday, after which Gattuso told reporters: “I told Bakayoko to warm up, but it took him eight minutes to get ready.”

Jose Mauri was then sent on for the injured Lucas Biglia instead, with the incident coming after Bakayoko had already had to apologise to his team-mates after arriving an hour late for training.

Bakayoko, who is a season-long loan in Milan, hit back at Gattuso’s comments in a tweet, saying: “It has been several weeks since I was spoken about in the press but I decided to say nothing and continue to work.

“What happened tonight and the interpretation people are trying to give to it compel me to react immediately, because I do not accept that I should be considered a player who refuses to enter the field when his coach asks him and who does not respect his club and his team-mates.

“I was ready to give 200 per cent even if I had to play only five minutes tonight. When Lucas started to suffer on the ground, I was asked to prepare myself in case there was a change. So I prepared myself immediately and went to warm up for 2/3 minutes maximum.

“Then I was asked to return to the bench. That all happened I think between the 23rd minute and the 26th.

“It’s when I sit on the bench that the coach speaks to me in unexpected terms and I only repeat his words. Nothing more.

“Let it be clear: I have never refused to come on to play and I do not get overheated. It seems to me that the images speak for themselves.

“I had only one desire, to enter the field and help my team-mates as I have always done and as I will do until the end of the season.”

Milan sporting director Leonardo also expressed sympathy for the former Monaco midfielder, who was last month at the centre of a shocking racism storm when Lazio fans allegedly aimed monkey chants at Bakayoko and Milan team-mate Franck Kessie.

“Bakayoko has been targeted too much,” Leonardo told reporters.

“There have been too many things highlighted in public. It must not be nice to live what he is experiencing.”