AC Milan’s Champions League journey has taken a significant blow after Theo Hernandez was shown a red card for simulation in their match against Feyenoord, crushing their hopes of advancing to the round of 16.

Strong Start Quickly Diminished by Controversial Red Card

The Rossoneri went into the second leg with optimism after securing a 1-0 advantage over Feyenoord in the first leg.

Early in the game, Santiago Gimenez scored a quick opener in the first minute, assisted by German defender Malick Thiaw.

However, the mood quickly soured as an incident involving Hernandez changed the course of the match.

Theo Hernandez’s Controversial Dismissal Alters the Game

The former Real Madrid player, Hernandez, was shown a second yellow card for what was deemed simulation in the box by referee Szymon Marciniak.

Replays of the match clearly showed Hernandez diving instead of attempting to control a pass from Rafael Leao.

Both Hernandez and teammate Kyle Walker appealed the decision, but Marciniak stood firm in his ruling, leaving Milan with only 10 players on the field.

Feyenoord Capitalize on the Advantage

With the numerical disadvantage, AC Milan’s defense was stretched, and it wasn’t long before Feyenoord took full advantage.

Despite having just one shot on target in the game, they equalized with Julian Carranza scoring in the 73rd minute.

Carranza’s goal also secured the aggregate win for Feyenoord, leaving Milan with little time to recover.

Milan’s Efforts to Regain Control Fall Short

In an attempt to regain control, AC Milan’s coach moved Chelsea loanee Joao Felix into a false nine position.

Despite this, Milan struggled to create chances, and when former Premier League star Tammy Abraham was brought on in the 83rd minute, he failed to make a difference.

Milan’s Woes Continue in Serie A and Beyond

This latest setback comes at a time when Milan’s domestic form is also in question.

Currently sitting in seventh place in Serie A, they have only managed 11 wins from 24 matches, showing inconsistency in their performances.

However, Milan remains in the hunt for the Coppa Italia, where they are awaiting their semifinal opponent—either Inter or Lazio—after qualifying for the final four.

Despite their promising start under new coach Sergio Conceicao, who led them to a victory in the Italian Super Cup last month, the red card and the loss to Feyenoord have left the team with much to reconsider in both their domestic and European ambitions.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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