Serie A has a long history of referee controversies. Many are familiar with the name "Calciopoli," but few understand what actually happened. However, it's so much more than that. Whether it was a single team conditioning the refs for a season or more to create hysteria and cry victim when they rightfully lost, or the more recently coined "Marotta League," truth and conspiracy are not always far apart. That was demonstrated yet again this weekend, beginning on Friday with our match and carrying through to another scandalous Derby d'Italia on Saturday. However, this time, not only did Milan win 2-1 over Pisa in spite of absurd ref calls, they won in spite of an atrocious record of dropped points against relegation teams. That's what you call defeating the odds and winning in spite of the AIA.
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| Modrić knew that it was actually a huge victory for Milan. |
The first half was largely uneventful until the 30th minute, when Stojilković took a shot, forcing Maignan into a big save. Then, in the 39th minute, Loftus-Cheek headed in a goal from the perfect cross from Athekame to put Milan up 1-0. That makes three goals now toward Allegri's expected quota. Don't get me wrong, Milan did not play as poorly as they typically do against these lower team sides, but Pisa did limit their chances. There were a few physical incidents, such as when Aebischer elbowed Athekame, and Maignan seemed to possibly injure his shoulder just before the half, which was worrisome, but he was okay after all.
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| He's still got a lot of goals to score to fill Allegri's quota by the end of May. |
Allegri subbed Füllkrug on for Nkunku. The German, despite still playing with a broken toe, was immediately impactful, but also was one of the first real victims of referees Fabbri and friends on the night. He assisted a goal for Rabiot in the 47th minute, which was brilliant, but Fabbri immediately whistled it off for a handball. VAR reviewed it, and sustained the decision. Mind you, the ball bounced off of his own body, and most former referees could not understand why the handball had been given and the goal taken away, but this is the Marotta League, after all. (It should be noted that while Aureliano was the head VAR ref and is typically decent, Serra was his assistant. And if that name sounds familiar, it should.)
In the 54th minute, Loyala fouled Pavlović in the box, and shockingly, a penalty was rightfully awarded to Milan. In the absence of any other attacker on the pitch, the man with the broken toe stepped up to take it. Once again, Füllkrug was unlucky, as his kick hit the post and went just wide, the penalty miss easily could have been very costly.
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| Füllkrug was doubly unlucky in this one. |
The penalty miss brought up some interesting reffing questions, too. Pisa's goalkeeper, Nicolas, was clearly off his line, and there were Pisa players who encroached as well, before the ball was in play. Traditionally, either infraction would have resulted in the penalty being retaken, increasing the odds that Füllkrug would have scored the second time around. So was it an error from Fabbri? Or is it true that he followed the rules?
Apparently, recent rule changes dictate that only when a player has a "material impact" to prevent the penalty from being scored can the penalty be retaken. I have had an issue with this rule change from day one, because if there are no repercussions for encroachment, why would players not always do so? Why should a goalkeeper stay on his line? Why should players stay behind the line? It doesn't make any sense. Additionally, I have seen referees still have players retake penalties for encroachment without any "material impact" since the rules changed, so clearly, I am not the only one who is unclear about this issue.
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| Athekame has stepped up in Saelemaekers' absence. |
Füllkrug had to be devastated when, in the 71st minute, Loyola scored a goal to equalize. 1-1 all. Allegri immediately made attacking substitutions. He brought Rafa Leão on for Loftus-Cheek, and Ricci on for Fofana. Five minutes later, he added Pulisic for Athekame. Milan looked more dangerous, but once again, it was Stojilković who forced the save from Maignan.
Then, the magic happened. In the 85th minute, after Ricci was being taken down in the box, Modrić swooped in, took the ball, and scored. And just like that, it was 2-1 Milan. He went running and jumped up into his teammate's arms like a young player might, it is just so wholesome to witness this man's passion. I think even the Pisa fans cheered him. He was the undeniable Player of the Match for Serie A, and also voted Milan's MVP. Certainly, Füllkrug had to be so grateful after being so unlucky to have been denied two Milan goals.
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| The man lives and breathes to win. |
Bartesaghi earned a yellow card for a foul on Léris in the 88th minute, and De Winter came on for Füllkrug in the 90th minute. Then the reffing got particularly stupid in stoppage time. Fabbri had been feeble all match, But he showed Rabiot a yellow card for some very light contact with Piccinini. Many have said they would not have even awarded that card. And clearly Rabiot felt the same, because he turned to Fabbri to ask him why, and Fabbri immediately pulled out a red card.
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| We are all confused, Rabiot. |
I don't understand why referees lose their heads and card like this. Maignan has three yellow cards this season, all overreactions from the referees, primarily because he was doing his job as captain. Modrić was carded for being shoved in the back. And on and on. Yes, there is the Marotta League theory, which holds up if you look at the fact that, once again, Inter are the only team not to have received a red card this season. They are also near the top of the list in number of fouls, but near the bottom of the list of teams receiving yellow cards, etc., etc. Like they don't even try to hide it anymore. So unless Rabiot somehow gravely insulted Fabbri in the split second before he whipped his red card out, it simply makes Fabbri look insecure and abusive of his powers.
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| Did Allegri turn a corner with this win? Or just luck out? |
But Fabbri was too little, too late to earn his bonus check from Marotta for helping us drop points. When the final whistle was blown, Milan had secured all three points. This was actually a huge victory for a team whose last three points vs. a relegation side was in September against Fiorentina (and everyone freaked out about Santi Gimenez being too dramatic to earn what was determined to be rightfully a penalty, too.) As far as I can tell, this is only the second time this season Milan has taken all three points from a newly promoted or relegation zone team. So it may have seemed like Goliath slaying David, but for Milan, it was like breaking a curse.
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| We were all Bartesaghi at the final whistle. |
Of course, the referee controversy in this match paled in comparison to what happened the following day. That was more of a bloody Valentine's Day, with La Penna missing not only a complete simulation, but also some of the worst sportsmanship on display from one of Marotta's scummy miscreants, whilst sending off the innocent player, our poor former Kalulu. But still, Milan have had far too many incidents with poor refereeing this season, and it has cost us points and seen refs suspended before. So this was a victory over Allegri's small team mentality and also winning in spite of the AIA.
Milan Primavera Defeat Genoa Primavera 2-1 Away
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| Renna congratulates Perera on the opening goal. |
Renna's boys returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win away to Genoa, who played with 10 men for an hour. This marked the first start for new players El Hadj Malick Cissé and Yahya Idrissi-Regragui. While Milan Primavera started off attacking and were playing well, when Genoa's Filippo Carbone was sent off in the 30th minute for protesting against the referee for a penalty non-call, it allowed Milan to take control of the match. In the 44th minute, Mancioppi set up a perfect ball for Perera, who sent it home to make it 1--0 Milan Primavera.
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| Domniței celebrates his first goal for Milan. |
Domniței doubled the lead in the 69th minute with a missile from outside the area. 2-0 Milan Primavera, and it was his first goal for Milan, too. They unfortunately conceded a last minute goal in stoppage time, with a header from Genoa's Galvano in the 93rd minute to pull one back for the home side. But it was too little too late for Genoa Primavera, and Milan were victorious. Brief highlights of the match are available. Milan Primavera sit in 12th place, tied with Monza and Genoa, so will need to continue to pull off victories to get back into a playoff spot. They face Napoli Primavera in Milano on Saturday.
Milan Futuro Are Spot On in Their 1-0 Victory Over Breno
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| Teammates celebrate with Victor Eletu after his successful penalty kick. |
With just a penalty kick, Milan Futuro also got back to winning ways with their 1-0 win over Breno on Saturday. The match was relatively uneventful until Grasso, Breno's goalkeeper, took down Sala in the 30th minute. Victor Eletu took the resulting penalty like a pro, and it was 1-0 Milan Futuro. Just after the half, Torriani made a big save, and Milan Futuro had a couple of big chances, including forcing Grasso into a save in the final ten minutes. However, when the final whistle blew, it was 1-0 for the home team. Milan Futuro took all three points. Brief highlights are available. Milan Futuro currently sit in fourth place, and will take on eighth place Caldiero Terme on Sunday.