Ringhio star is a smash hit in Milan fab core

Kaka scores the goals in this Milan team, but Gennaro Gattuso is the heartbeat.

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As Manchester United were swept aside here Gattuso, 29, crashed into tackles, guarded his back four and patrolled around deep central midfield with a swaggering control.

"Gattuso made all the difference," said Sky summariser and former Milan legend Ruud Gullitt. "Milan were the hungrier team and Gattuso was the centrepiece."

They call him Ringhio in Italy — the snarler or the growler — and he was at his growling, snarling best in the bear-pit of the San Siro as the most influential midfielder on the pitch.

United only came back into the tie in the first leg when the little Italian World Cup winner limped off at Old Trafford, with Milan leading 2-1.

And then Paul Scholes took over, with his amazing lifted pass that brought the home side back.

With space, Wayne Rooney scored twice, but this time there was no escaping Gattuso's command performance.

Such was the majesty of AC Milan that it is hard to believe that last season they felt it necessary to bribe match officials to make their way in Serie A.

Even within the myopic Italian football community, there are some who have expressed a sense of discomfort at the prospect of Milan winning European football's elite competition.

But when a decision to throw them from the Champions League was over-turned on appeal — a 15-point domestic penalty was also reduced to eight — Milan were handed the opportunity to again impose their football on a competition they have already won six times. They haven't looked back.

An eight-point handicap has proved too great a handicap for Carlo Ancelotti's ageing team and they are still 28 points behind rivals Inter.

But like the other Champions League finalists Liverpool, Milan have proved a big-match team this season.

On their day, such as the 2-0 dismantling of Bayern Munich in the quarter finals, they have proved more than capable. And this was their day, with Gattuso the inspiration.

He began the night gesturing to the home support to get behind the team and finished hugging team-mates and rattling his opponents as he was substituted.

Critics suggest his use of the ball is poor and that he can't hurt opponents. Indeed, Gattuso lasted just a year with Rangers before eventually joining Milan for £8million.

But he has a World Cup winner's medal and another chance to win the European Cup.

Often linked with a move to United, he recently completed his 300th game for Milan and clinched a deal to 2011.

United are chasing Owen Hargreaves, who could cost £20m. Michael Carrick's display showed they need a more defensive-minded player.

A player like Ringhio.