Milan paid a hefty price for Stefano Pioli’s tactical alterations as Monza humbled Serie A top-four hopefuls 4-2 at Stadio Brianteo. It was Rossoneri’s first league defeat of 2024 and Biancorossi’s first-ever top-flight win against the Stadio San Siro outfit.
Malick Thiaw’s woeful first-half performance contributed to Monza’s comfortable 2-0 halftime cushion. However, things went from bad to worse at the start of the second half as Luka Jovic picked up a straight red for slapping Armando Izzo in the face without the ball.
Although referee Andrea Colombo initially gave the Milan frontman a yellow, he changed his mind after reviewing the incident on the side-pitch monitor. VAR’s suggestion of violent conduct came to fruition, resulting in Jovic’s expulsion. As per MilanNews, the Serbia international could face a multiple-game ban.
“A minimum sanction shall be imposed on footballers responsible for violent conduct towards players or other people present, committed on the occasion of or during the match, without prejudice to the application of mitigating or aggravating circumstances a three-match or fixed-term disqualification. In the event of particular seriousness of the violent conduct, a five-match or fixed-term disqualification is imposed on the player,” says Article 38 of the Code of Sports Justice.
Jovic’s disqualification didn’t land a knockout blow on Milan as they bounced back to restore parity heading into stoppages. But Monza’s injury-time blitz condemned Pioli’s side to their first loss in Serie A since early December. More importantly, it probably ended their slim title hopes.
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