In the tense final moments of the match in Florence, Theo Hernandez repeatedly directed "a gravely disrespectful criticism" toward referee Pairetto in an overly heated manner.
This not only earned him a red card after the final whistle but also a two-match suspension, which will prevent him from playing in the crucial league games against Udinese and Bologna.
The French full-back will therefore return for the big league match against Napoli on October 29, with the chance to redeem himself and help the team in the Champions League clash against Brugge, scheduled between these two league matches where Theo will leave Paulo Fonseca and his teammates in a tough spot.
As a result, Milan fined their captain, especially since the behaviour of the number 19 in red and black was a clear lapse in judgment, given that his dramatic protest would have had no impact on the final outcome.
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How will Milan cope without Theo Hernandez?
Theo's expulsion and subsequent absence put Paulo Fonseca in a tight spot, especially since Milan's squad is very thin at the moment. With injuries to Davide Calabria and Alessandro Florenzi, Il Corriere dello Sport writes that the Portuguese coach could decide to field Filippo Terracciano in place of Theo Hernandez, as he did during the summer.
At the same time, however, the former Verona player has been used very sparingly so far, which is why they might rely on the explosiveness and eagerness of some of Milan’s youth talents, with Alex Jimenez and Davide Bartesaghi being the top candidates.
Another option could be to adapt Strahinja Pavlovic or another central defender as a full-back. In short, Fonseca has a lot to work on during this break.
