Olivier Giroud had an afternoon of ups and downs in Milan’s draw with Lecce, his 100th appearance in red and black, and it was the perfect microcosm of his time at the club, Apollo Heyes writes.
The 37-year-old French striker had scored 39 goals and provided 14 assists in his first 99 games for the Rossoneri, helping them win the Scudetto in his first season and reach the Champions League semi-final in his second.
Heading into his afternoon at the Stadio Via del Mare, everything was looking positive for Giroud.
Having entered the last year of his deal, it only seems like a matter of time until he extends until 2025, and he had played a leading role in their Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week.
Like his first two years with Milan, however, things were not as simple as they seemed for Giroud in the clash with Lecce. The 37-year-old started the match with a smile and was soon in familiar territory after scoring the opener in the 28th minute, giving his side an early advantage.
Tijjani Reijnders added to this seven minutes later, putting Stefano Pioli’s side in a position to cruise to victory, but Giroud should’ve been aware that nothing is ever easy with Milan.
After an hour, the Rossoneri still held a 2-0 lead, but that quickly changed after a drop in focus allowed Nicola Sansone to claw one back and Lameck Banda to net the equaliser, all in the space of four minutes.
Milan suddenly found themselves on the back foot and under serious pressure, looking at real risk of an embarrassing defeat in Puglia. Tensions continued to mount, prompting Giroud to make a serious error.
The French veteran, who should’ve known better, reacted furiously to a perceived missed call by referee Rosario Abisso, prompting the striker to launch into a rage-fuelled tirade at the official. He didn’t stop after being shown an initial yellow card, so was shown the fateful red in the 92nd minute of play.
What should’ve been a celebration of his first 100 games with Milan, which started with an opening goal, ultimately ended in frustration and disappointment for Giroud, whose Rossoneri side should’ve easily secured victory but instead lost focus and allowed their opponents a route back into the match.
Words: @ApolloHeyes