MILAN, Italy — Who is aware of precisely what ideas lurked inside the top of Theo Hernández, simply beneath his surprising pink tufts of hair, when he made probably the most boneheaded of selections 5 minutes into the second half of AC Milan‘s Champions League playoff second-leg conflict in opposition to Feyenoord?
Video games do not usually activate particular person gamers and moments of startlingly unhealthy selections. This one largely did, and it price Milan a spot within the Champions League spherical of 16.
A objective down from the primary leg, Milan wanted to win by two to advance. They obtained midway there inside 60 seconds of the opening kickoff: a Christian Pulisic cross, a Malick Thiaw nod again throughout objective and new signing Santi Gimenez available to tuck it in.
One-nil up and 89 minutes (plus harm time) at house, in entrance of their followers, to notch the second. It appeared easy-peasy when you think about their opponents, Feyenoord — who have not been good since Arne Slot left for Liverpool 9 months in the past and whom already fired his successor, Brian Priske — have been lacking no fewer than 10 gamers and have been beginning three youngsters because of this.
Milan have been squarely in command of the primary half and missed a number of possibilities to double the lead. They began brightly within the second half going near scoring once more … however then got here Theo’s lapse.
Rafael Leão fed his full-back on an overlap as Theo sliced into the penalty space, duly ran at defender Givairo Learn and … very clearly tumbled over his leg, with no contact in any respect. Referee Szymon Marciniak had no selection however to indicate him the yellow card … after which a crimson one too.
Why? Theo had already been cautioned on the finish of the primary half, a reserving as useless as this one. The primary was for a pointless foul on Jakub Moder within the middle circle, which erupted in a melee that left Theo’s adversary on that flank, Anis Hadj Moussa, needing to be bodily restrained.
Some could be inclined (in a Machiavellian, Darkish Arts type of approach) to justify making an attempt to con the referee to win a penalty, however there is a time and a spot for it. This wasn’t it. It was basic risk-reward sort stuff made worse by the truth that the way in which Milan have been enjoying on the time, the second objective was certain to come back.
After the match, Milan officers went out of their approach to keep away from scapegoating Theo, but it surely’s not exhausting to learn between the traces.
“The face of Milan’s defeat must be my face, not Theo’s. … I am the one accountable,” Milan boss Sérgio Conceição mentioned after the sport. Membership icon (and now senior adviser) Zlatan Ibrahimovic echoed the sentiment: “The referee was powerful: in a recreation like this you often simply give a warning. … We’re not indignant at Theo, we’re indignant at ourselves, we dedicated suicide on the market.”
Feyenoord’s followers — cooped up excessive within the third tier of the San Siro — celebrated him marching off the pitch as if that they had simply scored themselves. They understood the state of affairs — definitely higher than Theo.
The tie was 1-1 on combination at that time, however Milan could not simply sit again and play for penalties. They have been the house facet, they have been the pedigreed group, they have been those lining up with 4 forwards (from left to proper: Leao, João Félix, Gimenez and Pulisic) and so they have been constructed to assault. Maybe in addition they knew that enjoying a person down for almost a whole second half (plus harm time) was going to be a giant ask.
Immediately, the tide was flowing Feyenoord’s approach: Julián Carranza‘s header with 17 minutes to go tied the rating on the night time and put Feyenoord forward on combination.
Milan have been by no means coming again at that time and to make issues worse, frustration started to indicate. Conceição most likely did not assist issues together with his adjustments, although he defended them together with his regular posturing on the remaining whistle: “I am paid to make selections: If I do not win, they will pack my luggage for me and ship me away.”
What did he do? First, he withdrew Pulisic after which Gimenez, leaving Félix and Leão on the pitch. In a state of affairs like this at 10 vs. 11, you’ll have thought the previous duo’s work-rate could be extra fascinating than the flighty expertise of the latter pair. And certainly, Leão seemed like a boy racer fortunately rushing into cul-de-sacs, earlier than getting proven a crimson card of his personal in a pointless postmatch melee.
In the meantime, Félix was reminding everybody that whereas he has loads of expertise, the opposite t-word (temperament) is typically lacking: selecting to dribble inside his personal half, he beat one opponent, misplaced the ball when his unbelievable spin transfer did not work out, after which chased down and felled his opponent for yet one more yellow card.
Ibrahimovic — vastly influential to the purpose that he took the prematch information convention regardless of not having an official title past the one he gave himself (“I am the boss”) — had mentioned he anticipated his gamers to deal with this recreation “like a remaining.”
Till Theo’s sending off, they largely did. After which, with one cravenly poor determination, Milan’s European marketing campaign unraveled.
