Maignan sees his dismissal cost Milan a point in Europe
Mike Maignan's red card, nicknamed Magic Mike, against Bournemouth cost AC Milan a crucial point in the Europa League, leaving the Rossoneri with ten men against eleven after the foul on American international Tyler Adams who had already allowed Justin Kluivert to open the scoring with a penalty.
Goalkeeper's reaction on Instagram
The France goalkeeper offered his apologies this Friday on Instagram, stating that his action was unintentional.
“My action was unintentional. Like all goalkeepers and as in every match, I wanted to create space in my penalty area. Unfortunately, I gave a bad image, especially to young spectators. The club, the staff and my teammates know what kind of person and captain I am. They know my intentions, and abandoning them was not my intention.”He added that he regretted the image given to young spectators.
Maignan was sent off after a nasty foul on Tyler Adams, leaving his team with ten men against eleven. Bournemouth were already leading 1‑0 thanks to a penalty taken by Justin Kluivert early in the match at the Vitality Stadium. This situation immediately unbalanced the game.
Rúben Amorim's men were forced to play more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage. This constraint limited their offensive options and contributed to the defeat.
Milan drowns under rain and Maignan's dismissal in Bournemouth
The premature red card of the former LOSC player led AC Milan to suffer their second setback in three Europa League matches. The Rossoneri, regarded among the top favorites, saw their hopes fade.
Maignan's blunder gave Lorenzo Torriani, 21, his first appearance in a European Cup wearing the Milan shirt. The young goalkeeper would have preferred a simpler start than the lion's den at the Vitality Stadium.
A clean sheet in Udine will undoubtedly be eclipsed by this incident.