Ten-man AC Milan miss chance to move second after Monza defeat

AC Milan missed the chance to go second in Serie A as they slumped to a 4-2 defeat at neighbours Monza, finishing with 10 men after Luka Jovic was sent off.

Stefano Pioli’s side had made the short trip north full of confidence, having lost just once in all competitions since early December.

Milan produced a bright start, with Jovic sending a header from a free-kick straight at the Monza goalkeeper before Theo Hernandez saw his shot deflected wide.

Celebrate, @ACMonza.

You've earned it. pic.twitter.com/fJSf60ZoKH

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 18, 2024

At the other end, Monza forward Milan Djuric flicked a header onto the frame of the goal.

There was a lengthy stoppage from the 36th minute when Monza goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio came to punch out a corner and clashed heads with team-mate Andrea Carboni.

Both players needed treatment for cuts and were bandaged up, before it was decided Di Gregorio could not continue and Alessandro Sorrentino came on in goal.

Milan’s Luka Jovic (second right) receives a red card

When the action resumed, Monza were awarded a penalty after a poorly-timed challenge from Milan defender Malick Thiaw on Dany Mota. Matteo Pessina rolled the spot-kick into the bottom-right corner.

Milan immediately went on the offensive, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek nodding down a cross into the path of Jovic, whose volley was charged down by Pablo Mari before Hernandez fired the rebound over.

Monza, though, doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time.

Andrea Colpani snatched the ball off Ismael Bennacer and darted away down the right before playing in Mota on the overlap, with the midfielder cutting back inside to clip a deflected finish into the far corner.

52' Espulso Jovic, @acmilan in 10 uomini