Paulo Fonseca cautioned AC Milan players about David De Gea’s impressive penalty-saving abilities.

In a dramatic encounter at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, AC Milan’s manager Paulo Fonseca has issued a stern warning to his players following their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina. The Portuguese tactician was left fuming after his side squandered two penalty opportunities, largely thanks to the heroics of Fiorentina’s goalkeeper, David de Gea.

Milan’s struggles were evident as they failed to convert from the spot not once, but twice. The first miss came in first-half stoppage time when Theo Hernandez’s penalty was expertly saved by De Gea, who was instrumental in keeping his side ahead at 1-0. The second opportunity fell to Tammy Abraham shortly after the break, but once again, De Gea stood tall, denying the English striker and preserving his clean sheet.

Despite a moment of brilliance from Christian Pulisic, who equalised for Milan with a stunning finish on the hour mark, the visitors were ultimately left to rue their missed chances. Albert Gudmundsson struck the decisive blow for La Viola with just 17 minutes remaining, sealing a hard-fought victory for the home side.

After the match, Fonseca’s frustration was palpable. “Our designated penalty taker is Pulisic,” he stated, clearly bewildered by the decision-making of his players. “I don’t know why the players changed their minds. I have spoken to them and told them that this can’t happen again.”

The Milan manager continued, “When we miss two penalties and concede a goal like the last one, it becomes difficult to win despite creating a lot.” His disappointment was compounded by the fact that the match featured a total of three penalties, with Fiorentina’s Moise Kean also failing to convert his spot-kick in the first half.

Fonseca did not shy away from addressing the officiating, expressing his discontent with the decisions made during the match. “I don’t like talking about refereeing, but this isn’t football,” he remarked. “Football is made up of contact, and one touch cannot be enough to give a penalty. This is football, not the circus. And I’m not just talking about the penalty against us but also the ones we got.”

Adding to Fonseca’s woes, Pulisic appeared visibly frustrated when substituted in the second half, while Hernandez received a red card in injury time, further complicating Milan’s evening. The defeat leaves the Rossoneri languishing in sixth place, already five points adrift of Serie A leaders Napoli.

On the other hand, Fiorentina’s manager Raffaele Palladino was in high spirits, praising De Gea’s remarkable performance. “Trust me, he’s still a monster. He’s a top, world-class player,” Palladino said, acknowledging the impact of the former Manchester United star. “We can see why he’s a champion, a real one. We should thank him every day; he’s a top goalkeeper and a role model.”

As the dust settles on this thrilling encounter, it is clear that both teams have much to reflect on as they navigate the challenges of the Serie A season.