Leonardo Bonucci wore the Milan captain’s armband for the first time, but they lost a tense friendly 2-1 to Real Betis with VAR decisive twice.
The Rossoneri started summer signings Hakan Calhanoglu and Bonucci, the former Juventus defender wearing the captain’s armband for the first time.
Andre Silva thought he had scored after 12 minutes when tapping in a Hakan Calhanoglu free kick, but the VAR intervention confirmed Luca Antonelli got a touch, which left the Portuguese striker offside.
Leonardo Bonucci wore the Milan captain’s armband for the first time, but they lost a tense friendly 2-1 to Real Betis with VAR decisive twice.
The Rossoneri started summer signings Hakan Calhanoglu and Bonucci, the former Juventus defender wearing the captain’s armband for the first time.
Andre Silva thought he had scored after 12 minutes when tapping in a Hakan Calhanoglu free kick, but the VAR intervention confirmed Luca Antonelli got a touch, which left the Portuguese striker offside.
It was an oddly tense match in the Sicilian heat with two players from each side booked in the opening half-hour, including Bonucci.
Fabio Borini and Cesar just failed to steer in dangerous corners, while Davide Calabria forced a tough save at the near post on Suso’s through ball.
Andre Silva forced a fingertip save from Dani Gimenez straight after the restart, while Fabio Borini’s header was deflected over from close range on a cross from the impressive Suso.
Calhanoglu’s corner flashed all the way across the face of goal with nobody able to get the decisive touch.
It was Betis who broke the deadlock with an absolute rocket from Fabian Ruiz, who picked his spot from 20 metres out and thrashed it into the far top corner.
Andre Silva had a swerving Calhanoglu free kick punched off his head, as did Bonucci at the back post moments later, but the third time was the charm, as both Andre Silva and Gustavo Gomez were dragged down by their markers for a penalty. The Betis Coach was so furious about the decision that he was sent off for dissent in this friendly and Silva converted to equalise.
Ex-Fiorentina winger Joaquin curled a stunner just over the bar after skipping away from Fabio Borini, but another Calhanoglu free kick found Gomez’s header straight at Dani Gimenez.
The ‘friendly’ ended with nine yellow cards and Antonio Donnarumma diving to make a very difficult one-handed save on Joaquin’s free kick. It proved to be in vain, because Betis requested VAR and the referee awarded a penalty for Calhanoglu’s handball on that set piece. Tonny Sanabria converted the resulting spot-kick.
Milan 1-2 Betis
Fabian Ruiz 67 (B), Andre Silva pen 75 (M), Sanabria pen 89 (B)
Milan: Storari (A Donnarumma 46); Calabria (Simic 92), Zapata (Gomez 63), Bonucci, Antonelli (Abate 46); Locatelli (Kessie 63), Montolivo (Cutrone 81), Calhanoglu; Suso (Jose Mauri 63), André Silva, Borini
Real Betis: Dani Gimenez; Barragán (Pezzella 63), Mandi (Sanabria 63), Feddal, Tosca (Francis 71); Camarasa (Narvaez 46), De la Hoz (Brasanac 58), Guardado (Fabian 58); Loren (Joaquin 58), Sergio León (Rafa Navarro 63), Nahuel (Redru 71)
Image via @bonucci_leo19