The red card to Fikayo Tomori was a key moment in Milan’s loss to Chelsea yesterday but despite seeming harsh, it was technically the correct call according to the laws of the game.
In the 17th minute of the match, the English defender was beaten to a through-ball by Mason Mount and found himself on the wrong side of the Chelsea man. Mount managed to get a limp shot away after jostling with Tomori and eyebrows were instantly raised when referee Daniel Siebert pointed to the spot and produced a red card, sending off the Rossoneri centre back.
Replays showed that Tomori had his right hand clutched on Mount’s shoulder and he seemingly made two attempts to pull back the Englishman, who did his best to stay on his feet. A penalty was seemingly a harsh call but the sending off further infuriated and confused fans, especially those who thought of the ‘double jeopardy’ rule.
In Law 12 of the IFAB’s Laws of the Game, denying a goal scoring opportunity in the penalty area is only a yellow card if the offence is a genuine attempt at playing the ball. It’s explicitly stated that in ‘all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.) the offending player must be sent off.’
Because referee Siebert awarded Chelsea a penalty for Tomori’s foul, the red card was technically the right call because the offence was a pulling action and therefore not an attempt to play the ball. Whether the pulling was heavy enough to award a penalty or not is a different consideration.
Its right IF it was a penalty, which this absolutely wasn’t.
Softest penalty I have seen in CL in a LONG time
‘clutched’ and ‘pulled’. Comedy. Look at their strides and you’ll see mount unaffected up to the point that he even is specially aware enough to use his left arm to put distance between himself and tomori. He then gets a shot away. If you think that was the ‘correct call’….well you belong in the same amateur institution as Siebert and cekir.
“… DENYING a goal scoring opportunity …”
Can ppl at FI even read?
Like I said Round 3 and 4 in UCL always make or break Milan. Let’s wait the results in the final round.
It was a penalty, it was a red card. Milan are outraged because they are treated in a favourable manner in Serie A…so when they play in CL with strict refs applying the rules they get shocked.
@Francesca
Thatnk you for sharing your delusions. This is not your group therapy session though – you’re imagining things again.
I saw the outrage over this and yes it was harsh but yes it was the correct call. Pulling someone back by the shoulder twice is in no way an attempt to play the ball. Once the red had given it it was therefore a red card and pen and never going to be overturned. Bad defending simple as that. I don’t think Milan can be too outraged. Take some f ing responsibility – at least you don’t have to watch Allegri ball every week!
@Kilroy
You seem to be speaking about therapy from your first hand experience. Good luck with that. Anyhow an Italian ref would not have made those decisions against Milan so I guess Milan need Italian refs in CL games.
Francesca is upset because Milan tore gobbi a new backside on Saturday 😩
@Francesca
Marco Serra
And now you look stupid. congratulations.
Tomori didn’t deny a goal scoring opportunity. Mount still had a shot, therefore it is not a red card but is a penalty.
I’m not gonna argue about the softness of the pen. In my opinion even if that’s a clear pen a red card for it is ridiculous. They should change the rule and send players off only if there is violence OR the foul happens outside of the box (so no pen).
Another things, and I’ve been saying this for a while, first half red cards are absolutely crazy and ruins football. A spectacle couldn’t be ruined for tens of thousands in the stadium and millions watching like that. They need to change the rules here too if they want the game to remain beautiful. An example of a suggestion : In case of first half red cards the team should play with 10 men for 15, 20 or 30 minutes and then another player can be introduced in his place, while the player who was sent off remains out for the rest of the match and also the next one. In case of second half red cards the team will play with a man down for the rest of the match.
As is, the game is killed instantly after an early red card.
Tomori messed up by letting Mount get the wrong side of him, then gave away a penalty. I don’t agree with the red card but it was a penalty, Look at the fouls the ref gave all game, all a bit soft but that’s how it is in CL sometimes.
A real shame because it looked like it would be a good game tactically until the red card. Two games left, win both and we qualify. No more excuses.
He might have gotten away with that if he grabbed and pulled once only. Or if he was an established name. Don’t think refs like to make those soft calls but when you do it more than once and when you’re clearly beaten and behind the player hard to ignore.
I think it’s Allegri’s fault.
At least 80% of the pushing and pullings in the penalty on set plays are not attempts to play the ball. So if they are not heavy enough for a foul then the same should apply for all situations. The important point here is that the pulling was not heavy enough for a foul. You could see no one shouted for a penalty.
Tomori put himself in a stupid position where this was always a possible outcome. He and Milan need to take responsibility and move on (unless Pioli can use this to build a siege mentality for the last 2 games which can work sometimes). There’s a fine balance between siege mentality and victimhood. It’s Mourinho pre/post 15/16.
@Louis @Mike Amatiello Agree with both of you.
Regarding the red card – it was clearly explained already that as there was no attempt to play the ball, the rules state it is an automatic red. I was also not aware of that provision in the rules, but they have been changing a lot in recent seasons, so it is hard to follow. Apparently “last man” and “denying a clear opportunity” do not apply here.
In short: yes, the pen was soft, but calling it outrageous is an overstatement. The red was inevitable once the pen was given. And Tomori for sure made a bad mistake. Unfortunately, Italian teams don’t seem to hold much weight nowadays and a lot of 50:50s go against them.
Don’t agree with Milan Fan that red cards in the first half necessarily ruin games. In fact, sometimes they make them more interesting, namely when the team down to 10 is the favorite.
Lastly, for those of you stating they have never seen such a bad penalty call – please watch the highlights from last years (I think) game between Milan and Roma to get some perspective.
Never a peno. Article solely posted for comments and reactions.
I’m not surprised that the moment Milan lose it’s the ref fault. Chelsea last week were dominant and the second match was even clearer. Can any Milan fan argue that Tomori was trying to play the ball. The ref could’ve bit give it and the result would be essentially the same with Milan losing. In serie a refs have given Milan favourable calls and we see no one complaining but when they start losing they’ll demand they get special treatment and have different laws applied to them compared to anyone else. I remember Inter got red cards for less obvious challenges in the CL and they didn’t cry this much.
How can the defending serie A champion has lost twice on the hand of Chelsea without scoring any goals
@solowinter
You would’ve not got yourself anywhere near us if ref’s favor was on our side, and the league would hv been wrapped up way earlier.
Your team are beginning to look like a loser, lost to every big teams this season in Serie A
@solowinter
You would’ve not got yourself anywhere near us if ref’s favor was on our side, and the league would hv been wrapped up way earlier.
Your team are beginning to look like a loser, lost to every big teams this season in Serie A
Tomori has been suspect in CL for two years straight, but even Mount himself said it wasn’t a penalty and he was surprised at the decision. Read his interview.
Tomori and Mount are good friends so what Mount said in his interview, probably trying to be nice. It was a penalty, plain as day. Milan deserved to lose over the 2 matches but the red card was something “special” from a very “special” ref. Ruined what would have been a good 90 mins of football.
Let’s be serious here. Italian football has NOTHING going right for it. The rot is deep.
‘
PLAY ITALIANS AND ONLY THE TOP FOREIGNERS.
I am not a Milan fan but I will write this.
Last year versus Atletico, Milan got robbed in the match at the Meazza. No such robbery took place versus Chelsea, Play the ball. No need to pull back numerous times, shirt pull. Credit to Mount for staying on his feet to battle through it.
Let’s be real. Italian football is on Life Support. We are equal to Greece.
@Kilroy
Shut up bbilanista kid