Stefano Pioli defends Milan star against allegations of unfair play

Luca Pellegrini of SS Lazio found himself in a heated argument with Christian Pulisic of AC Milan after receiving a red card during their Serie A TIM match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy on March 1, 2024.

AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli came to the defense of Pulisic, describing him as a “fair player” and dismissing any claims of unsporting conduct following their contentious victory over Lazio. The Rossoneri emerged as 1-0 winners, courtesy of Noah Okafor’s late goal, but the home team was left fuming over the officiating, having three players sent off and a penalty appeal denied.

The first player to be shown the red card was Luca Pellegrini, who received a second yellow card in controversial circumstances during the second half. Pellegrini was attempting to shepherd the ball out of play to allow his teammate Taty Castellanos to receive treatment for a facial injury. However, Pulisic tried to keep the ball in play and was subsequently brought down by Pellegrini, resulting in his dismissal.

Following the match, journalists questioned Pulisic’s behavior, suggesting it was unsporting. However, Pioli vehemently denied these accusations, stating, “Pulisic is a fair player and he respected the game. You play until the referee blows the whistle. We could not do anything differently.”

Pioli acknowledged the challenging nature of the game for the referee, noting that he seemed to be excessively punishing minor fouls. He emphasized that football is a contact sport and many yellow cards could be avoided.

When pressed further about Pulisic’s conduct, Pioli firmly disagreed, stating, “It was not an unsporting gesture. He respected the rules.” Pioli abruptly ended the press conference after being asked if he considered replacing Rafael Leao, simply responding with a “no” before leaving.

Prior to the press conference, Pioli had already expressed his views on the incident to Italian broadcaster DAZN, revealing what Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, who did not speak to the media after the game, had said at the time. Sarri claimed that the ball was going out, but the referee did not blow his whistle.

The hard-fought victory for Milan ended their three-game winless streak and brought them within one point of second-placed Juventus in the Serie A standings. Juventus will face Napoli on Sunday, with the match broadcast live on TNT Sports at 19:45 UK time.

The result left Lazio in ninth place in the standings, further diminishing their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. Sarri’s side will travel to Germany on Tuesday to face Bayern Munich in the second leg of their last 16 clash, holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.