AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao believes the red card for Santiago Gimenez shows a lack of refereeing consistency in Italy.
Milan lost 3-1 against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night and it means that it has been mathematically confirmed that there will be no European football in 2025-26. It comes after the Coppa Italia final defeat to Bologna a few days prior.
Gianluca Mancini, Leandro Paredes and Bryan Cristante got the goals for the Giallorossi on the night, with Joao Felix equalising in the first half. The controversial incident came when Gimenez saw red for an elbow on Mancini, just days after the same happened to Matteo Gabbia without punishment.
Conceicao spoke to DAZN after the game and was visibly angered and disappointed after another tough evening for his side, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
Were Milan on edge?
“The environment, as you understand, is not easy after losing a final, where this final there were incidents and details, but not only in the final, throughout the year, that have not gone our way, that are always negative for us, due to our mistakes or those of others.
“Today’s AVAR is the same VAR as Bologna. Against Bologna there was the same elbow on Gabbia and the VAR did not call the referee over. And we are talking about a title, a place in Europe, I am not saying that we would have won without that red, but they are episodes and details that become difficult to sustain.
“Playing a difficult and balanced game in Rome after a red card is not easy. We tried to give our best, there is nothing to say about that, in the first half then Roma did not even touch the ball. I was confident, we could have even won this match.
“The second goal is still from a dead ball, you cannot concede goals like that. We had two scoring opportunities with Jovic and Leao to equalise, then you concede the third goal due to a lack of fuel after almost an entire match 10 against 11.”
Are you looking forward to clearing the air with the club at the end of the year?
“It’s true. Everyone has to think and evaluate what their work has been. I am very demanding with myself, I am at Milanello working every day. I will evaluate what has been done. Before the match I was curious to see the numbers and since I arrived here with my staff before the match we were in the Champions League zone.
“I’m not saying it was a good season or 5 perfect months, absolutely not. But positive things have also been done. We won a title, we reached a final where we could have done more, it’s true. I think that in the key matches it has always been the details or individual errors…
“In Zagreb a red card, with Feyenoord another red… These are matches that then bring an environment that is already not easy… Then with all these moments. It’s not been a good year for a historic team like Milan. Everyone has to evaluate their work.”
Are you sorry you can’t say goodbye to San Siro next week?
“I have always lived this profession with passion, in the end it is not a question of saying goodbye or not… At this moment it is also difficult… I am close to my boys and my players.
“For a word, I said practically nothing… Only to respect the players who were on the pitch giving everything and we are Milan. The foul on Koné on the second goal is not there, while the foul on Sottil in the area is there. It is easy to see. I have been in professional football for 25 years.
“All these incidents are not easy. I am a very active football fan and I am sorry not to be close to the players. After saying goodbye or not, I think we are all in a moment in which we must still be united as an environment. It is not an easy season, but we are also here to take all the responsibilities.”
