Allegri accused of pulling Saelemaekers jersey during match in Como

AC Milan Manager Sent Off in Serie A Draw with Como

AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri was sent off during a 1-1 home draw with Como on Sunday. The incident occurred when Milan attempted a counterattack on the left flank, but the team’s winger Alexis Saelemaekers was surrounded by Como defenders and ground to a halt before turning to remonstrate with Como manager Cesc Fabregas.

According to reports, Fabregas allegedly pulled Saelemaekers’s shirt, preventing the attempted attack. A touchline bust-up ensued as the Milan bench and Allegri confronted their opposite numbers from Como. Referee Maurizio Mariani showed Allegri a red card for his part in the melee, while Fabregas’s assistant was also given a red card.

In post-match interviews, both Allegri and Fabregas expressed their sides of the incident. Allegri claimed that he believed there was a foul committed by Fabregas, stating that Saelemaekers was starting a counterattack when pulled by someone from the bench. Fabregas later apologized for his behavior, admitting that he had touched the ball with his hand to prevent Milan’s attack and acting unsportsmanlike.

The incident has sparked controversy, with Allegri defending his actions as necessary to defend his player. Fabregas has apologized for his part in the incident, stating that he should have kept his hands to himself and not pulled Saelemaekers’s shirt. The match ended 1-1, with AC Milan dropping seven points behind rivals Inter in the Serie A title race.

The incident has also raised questions about the behavior of coaches on the touchline, with both Allegri and Fabregas acknowledging that their actions were unsportsmanlike.

Source: Al Jazeera