For the second consecutive match, Milan have proved a hard nut to crack for runaway Serie A leaders Napoli.
SSC Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti was not a happy man after watching his team fall to another defeat to rivals AC Milan.
Spalletti lamented the dismissal of midfielder Frank Zambo Anguissa during his team’s narrow 1-0 loss at San Siro in the Champions League.
Algerian midfielder Ismael Bennacer was the difference maker in the quarterfinal clash as he scored the decisive goal to give Milan a slim first-leg advantage.
Spalletti reacts to the red card
Napoli were forced to play the final 14 minutes at San Siro after Cameroonian midfielder Anguissa was sent off for two bookable offences.
Anguissa’s dismissal added to the setbacks faced by the Serie A leaders who were also without Nigerian superstar Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Simeone for the first-leg ties.
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After the defeat, Napoli boss Spalletti was not happy with the decision that led to the red card which he described as a blow.
“Commenting after the matches is wasted time,” he told Sky Sports. “There is no turning back.”
“At this point, every absence is a blow for us but we have someone who (will) replace him.”
“It's been like this the whole season, otherwise we wouldn't have the results we have managed.”
Plan to replace Anguissa
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19:47 - 11.04.2023
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Speaking further on the decision, the experienced tactician added that he had planned to replace the midfielder before his dismissal.
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It appears the Napoli boss disagrees with the red card which he believes was an unfair decision but he regrets leaving the African on the pitch for two minutes longer.
“It is a pity we won't have Anguissa (for the second leg) because I think it is unfair,” he added.
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“It was planned to replace him, I was looking at who to bring on in the three substitutions, I was missing the third.”
“The regret is that he played two more minutes while I decided. I will think about what I did, the referee won't comment, Roberto Rosetti ( UEFA Referee’s Committee chairman) will do it.”
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21:51 - 12.04.2023
AC Milan defeat 'Osimhen-less' Napoli 1-0 in Champions League quarterfinal first leg
Napoli fell to a narrow defeat at the San Siro, losing consecutive matches against AC Milan without their star striker Victor Osimhen.
“From what I have seen, Anguissa gets a lot of the ball. Let's look at the yellow card for (Piotr) Zielinski and the one not given to (Rade) Krunic.”
Napoli’s defeat is the second in just 10 days against Milan, with both sides set to meet again for the second leg in just a week.
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