AC Milan Midfielder Rade Krunic Should’ve Seen Red For Horror Challenge On Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu

AC Milan midfielder Rade Krunic should’ve received a red card for his tackle on Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

This is the view in today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. The newspaper criticize referee Clement Turpin for his overly-lenient display, highlighting Krunic’s very late and reckless challenge.

French referee Turpin was assigned to yesterday’s match due to his extensive experience and excellent reputation in European football.

If anyone was going to keep a lid on the Milan derby, it was the man who officiated last season’s Champions League final.

However, the Frenchman got a number of things wrong, in the view of the Gazzetta.

All night, the newspaper suggests, Turpin was too reluctant to blow his whistle. Whilst the official may have wanted to “let play flow” the result was too many aggressive challenges going unpunished.

Even worse, the Gazzetta suggests, were the yellow card offenses missed by Turpin.

The newspaper counts three, all from Rossoneri players.

First, there was a cynical foul by Rafael Leao on Denzel Dumfries. Then, there was Theo Hernandez’s late lunge at Nicolo Barella competing for a high ball.

Lastly, the newspaper suggests, Turpin should’ve booked Milan captain Davide Calabria for a foul on Federico Dimarco.

Second Match In A Row – Rade Krunic Should’ve Seen Red Vs Inter Milan

However, the Gazzetta reserves the most criticism for Turpin’s failure to send of Milan midfielder Krunic.

The 29-year-old Bosnian international made a lunging tackle on his Nerazzurri opposite number in the 81st minute.

The ball was hardly there to be won by the time that Krunic arrived, and the Bosnian’s tackle was in control and studs-up.

In the view of the Gazzetta, it was an inexplicable decision to only issue the Milan player a yellow.

Now, Krunic has arguably lucky to have stayed on the pitch in both legs of the Milan derby semifinal. The Bosnian had also avoided punishment for a punch on Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni in the first leg of the tie.