Cristian Romero was fortunate to avoid a red card for a ‘bad’ foul on Sandro Tonali during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 Champions League defeat at the San Siro, AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli tells Milan Live.
After producing yet another listless performance to add to a growing collection under Antonio Conte, losing World Cup winner Romero for the return leg in North London would have been another blow Spurs really didn’t need after a nightmare couple of days.
Romero, Pioli believes, was fortunate in the extreme to avoid an early dismissal following a reckless challenge which left Italy international Tonali clutching his ankle in pain.
“It was a bad intervention. More like a red card than a yellow one,” Pioli argues, Romero escaping with a booking.
“(Tonali’s) ankle swelled up a bit, and I preferred to take him off. Sandro is a fighter. When he produces this kind of performance, the whole team gains strength.”
“The ankle was already strapped even before the foul,” Tonali adds, via the Daily Mail. “But I am fine. I’m used to getting knocks.”
This, funnily enough, was Romero’s first outing since being sent off during the recent 1-0 defeat to Manchester City.
Tottenham lose to AC Milan in Champions League last 16
Brahim Diaz scored a seventh minute winner at the San Siro as a stuttering Milan side blew away the cobwebs. One giant stride closer to the Champions League quarter-finals. Spurs, meanwhile, failed to muster any sort of a response while hitting the target on just three occasions.
Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Dejan Kulesevski were marshalled brilliantly by Milan’s rock-solid centre-half trio of Simon Kjaer, Pierre Kalulu and the superb Malick Thiaw. And while Oliver Skipp and UCL debutant Pape Sarr in particular did not look out of place, Spurs clearly missed the drive of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and the ball-carrying ability of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur in the middle of the park.
This game was a battle from the start until the end,” reflects former Inter and Juventus boss Conte.
“I think it was a pity to concede a goal (so early). We could do much better in this situation but, after this, the game was even.
“Both teams tried to be intense, to make pressure. It was difficult for us to play, it was difficult for Milan to play. At the same time, we had the opportunity to draw.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
