A birthday to forget. And on a night like this, it's quite striking to think that Theo Hernandez has just turned 27. It should be the age of full footballing maturity, the age when — especially after a poorly played match by the whole team — one should avoid adding an extra layer of trouble.
To tell the dark night of the Frenchman, it's inevitable to start at the end. Or rather, after the end, because Theo was sent off by Pairetto when the match was already over. A direct red card caused by a sort of "assault" by the fullback for protesting too aggressively.
Aggravating factor? He was the team captain last night at the Artemio Franchi. The minimum penalty will be a two-match suspension, which could be increased depending on what Pairetto writes in the report (in the next three matches, Milan will face Udinese, Bologna, and Napoli).
Theo's responsibility towards Milan...
The armband and his freshly turned 27 years should have brought some wisdom to the former Real Madrid player, especially after the match ended.
Someone might have even pulled him away earlier, considering it was a particularly tough match for him. There was only one bright spot in the tunnel: his cross for Pulisic’s temporary equaliser.
The rest is forgettable, and when the Frenchman has an off day, there are usually no half-measures. And indeed. First, the penalty on Dodo — not a blatant one but still the result of an avoidable challenge (it was at the edge of the box, not a few steps from Maignan).
Then the missed penalty, taking on a responsibility that shouldn't have been his, as Fonseca clarified post-match. Theo grabbed the ball from Morata’s arms (even though Pulisic should have taken the shot) and hit it right at De Gea.
Finally, in the second half, he nearly caused a second penalty with a rough challenge on Colpani. This time, the VAR check cleared him. Until the final scene with Pairetto: a captain out of control, the very opposite of what the role demands, as written by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
