AC Milan’s hopes of advancing in the UEFA Champions League were dashed on home soil as they were eliminated by Feyenoord with a 1-2 defeat in the second leg of the playoffs. After the match, Milan’s Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic took aim at referee Szymon Marciniak following his decision to show a red card to Theo Hernandez.
The match started in favor of the home side, with star signing Santiago Gimenez scoring the opening goal just 37 seconds into the game. However, Milan couldn’t capitalize on their early lead, failing to add a second goal to create a more comfortable cushion. In the 51st minute, Hernandez was shown a second yellow card for a dive inside the box, leaving Milan a man down and ultimately leading to their elimination.
Speaking to Sky, Ibrahimovic criticized the referee’s decision, questioning the fairness of the second yellow card: “I don’t think it’s fair to say he’s a diver or that he’s acting: he plays his game and tries to do his best, these things just happen on the field. The referee was harsh on the second yellow: in a game like this, you give a warning for the next situation. Instead, he was tough, and the game changed. We’re not angry with Theo, but with ourselves: we ‘killed ourselves.’“
The legendary striker then shifted focus to the team’s future, urging them to regain momentum as they turn their attention to Serie A. “We are disappointed, angry. In tonight’s game, we lacked maturity… Now, it’s important to think as a group, process the defeat, and immediately focus on the league, where important challenges await us. We could’ve done a lot more in the 180 minutes, but then matches are meant to be lived and played, and that’s how these went.”
Marciniak’s red card left AC Milan’s participation in the 2024-25 Champions League in ruins. With their European hopes dashed, Milan must now concentrate on Serie A, where they currently sit in 7th place, in order to secure an automatic qualification for next season.
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Coach Conceicao supports Hernandez smid criticism
Theo Hernandez, who had already received a yellow card in the 44th minute for fouling a Feyenoord player, found himself at the center of controversy after his red card. Milan fans were divided over the two decisions, but coach Sergio Conceicao stood by his captain, taking responsibility for the elimination.
“It’s not a new situation for me, I’ve been through it many times with Porto. I make mistakes, my players make mistakes, but it’s my face that represents Milan’s defeat, not Theo’s,” said the Portuguese coach in the post-match press conference.
Despite the mounting criticism of Hernandez’s inconsistency this season, Milan’s coach reiterated his faith in the left-back: “I’ve known him for a while, and I know he can do more, but his coach can do more too.”
