Tijjani Reijnders was handed a red card in AC Milan’s game against Udinese for stopping a ‘clear goalscoring opportunity’. However, as the former referee Luca Marelli explains, it’s a decision that leaves a bitter taste.
The incident took place in the 29th minute as the Udinese player Sandi Lovric found himself in a very good position. Reijnders tracked back and as he tried to cross the opponent’s path, to get on the right side, there was contact and the referee handed out a red card.
However, as the replays showed, the contact was far from obvious and the Udinese player certainly made the most of it. Furthermore, some would even argue that it was Lovric who initiated the contact rather than the other way around.
Speaking to DAZN after the game, as cited by MilanNews, the former referee and current expert Luca Marelli shared his thoughts on the decision. Since referee Daniele Chiffi made the decision himself, there was no way for VAR to intervene as there was technically contact.
“It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth because it’s not easy to accept, but the rules say that intentionality counts for nothing. There was contact with Lovric, there are all the elements to speak of a clear goalscoring opportunity. Technically the decision is unexceptionable,” he stated.