New Valencia coach Rino Gattuso addressed the controversies around him at his presentation media conference on Thursday.

Gattuso has signed a two-year deal after replacing Jose Bordalas.

On criticism of Barbara Berlusconi taking charge at AC Milan over a decade ago, the Italian said: “I'll tell you what this is about. First, the issue of women in football was referring to something said 15 years ago and there is no video or anything to corroborate it

“Adriano Galliani, after 25 years of hard work, had been replaced by a 28-year-old woman with no experience in the sport, so that didn't seem like a great decision to me."

The second comment was suggesting players should 'ignore' racist abuse from the stands.

“As for being racist, they asked me something about Boateng when I was coach of Sion and I said he shouldn't worry about what four idiots in the crowd think. I come from a small village in Calabria, so for years and years I got all sorts of insults in Italy.

“I worked with many black players, it really irritates me to have to sit here and explain certain things to you.

“There were even suggestions I couldn't work because of my illness. I have ocular myasthenia and I have done for 12 years. I heard people say I can't work, can't live a normal life, can't afford to raise my stress levels: all of that is bull!"