Lorenzo Pellegrini's red card was the decisive moment in Italy's 2-2 draw with Belgium on Thursday, so says Luciano Spalletti.
Italy dropped points for the first time in Nations League Group A2 despite Andrea Cambiaso and Mateo Retegui handing the Azzurri a two-goal advantage.
But five minutes before the interval, Pellegrini was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Arthur Theate. The Roma midfielder had first been given a yellow by the referee before a VAR review.
As he left the field, several whistles from the fans were aimed at Pellegrini, who became the first Italy player to receive a straight red card since Domenico Criscito in June 2018.
Maxim De Cuyper reduced the deficit two minutes later before Leandro Trossard sealed a share of the spoils in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico.
And Spalletti said that Pellegrini's sending off was what swung the contest in favour of the visitors, but was pleased with his side's display with a man less.
"The description is that there are episodes that throw away games. You have to be good enough to know how to direct even those episodes," Spalletti said.
"Sometimes it's not possible like tonight. What is the description of the match is the displeasure of the boys in the locker room for not having won the game.
"It was seen that they were aware that they could make it to another victory and that a bit of bad luck got in the way. This attachment that they showed with sorrow is fundamental.
"The game was also done well with ten men. We stooped a little too low, but it became impossible. At the end of the first half, I was in doubt whether to get back to four.
"Pellegrini, I have to review the episode, but I think it was expulsion.
"He felt a bit frustrated and tried everything because he felt anticipated and if you touch with your studs it's always red.
"Then you concede a goal on a free kick, you take an avoidable goal on a corner kick. Tonight it had to be like this, we paid too dearly for these small mistakes".
Belgium improved following Pellegrini's dismissal, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 0.19 from their four shots in the first half.
After the break, the Red Devils produced eight shots, though only one was on target, which proved to be the equaliser as Trossard nipped in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Belgium head coach Domenico Tedesco acknowledged the difficulties his side faced, not helped by Cambiaso's early goal, which was the first time the Azzurri had scored inside a minute since Emanuele Giaccherini did so against Haiti in 2013.
"We really struggled, and the red card helped us enormously," Tedesco said.
"We know we can do better, but that quick goal against threw all our plans into disarray.
"In possession we stuck to the plan, but without the ball we were too high. The Italians always had a surplus in midfield. So our pressing did not work.
"It's often even harder to score against 10 Italians. They know how to defend.
"From the moment they dropped back – which happened after the red card – it was harder, but we changed the tactics and it worked."
Galaxy dedicate record-extending MLS Cup triumph to 'special' Puig
The LA Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup title with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, with their triumph motivated by Riqui Puig's injury.
The Galaxy found themselves two goals in front after 13 minutes thanks to strikes from Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic before Sean Nealis reduced the deficit.
Greg Vanney's side were able to hang on to seal the victory after the break, with many of the Galaxy players paying tribute to the absent Puig.
The Spaniard missed Saturday's showpiece after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in their Western Conference final victory over the Seattle Sounders.
Puig had been instrumental for the Galaxy this season, registering 31 goal involvements (17 goals, 14 assists) across all competitions.
He also created more chances (70) than any of his Galaxy team-mates, who dedicated their victory to Puig.
"It’s really special," said Mark Delgado. “When Riqui went down in the last game, and that final whistle blew, we were all happy. But to see him go down, we all felt so sad for him.
"It was just more of a motivation and another reason to step out there and win. A brother of ours went down, and we got to win this thing. We’re so happy to win this for him.”
After opening the scoring in the ninth minute, Paintsil was swarmed by his team-mates after tucking his shot past the onrushing Carlos Coronel.
But among the madness, the Ghanaian looked to the bench to grab Puig’s jersey and raise it toward the Galaxy faithful, with Joveljic following suit after his strike.
“This guy is unbelievable. One of the best players in the league, Riqui," added Diego Fagundez. “And today showed, even though he wasn’t on the field, we’re a family in here.
"We’re with each other so much that we’re like brothers. And it doesn’t matter if someone goes down, we’re all together. And today, we did it for him, and we did it for ourselves.”
“The first message that he said before we were in the huddle was ‘don’t do it for me, do it for each other,’ and that’s the right kind of mentality we want to have.
"He, as a player, he deserves everything. I know this is what he wanted.”
Puig was in the stands to support his side during the match, and despite not being able to help on the pitch, the Spaniard expressed his gratitude to his team-mates.
“Honestly, I’m very happy," Puig told MLS El Resumen. “It’s been a very complicated week for me, but people are giving me a lot of support, sending me messages.
"I apologise for not being able to respond to almost anybody because it’s been really complicated for me to face this type of injury.
"I was very afraid of it, even more so for nine months, to wait for this match. And I think today the team played spectacularly.”
Dortmund will learn from Gladbach draw, says 'hurt' Sahin
Nuri Sahin was left "hurt" and frustrated after his Borussia Dortmund team were pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Borussia Monchengladbach.
Dortmund took the lead through Jamie Gittens in the 75th minute of Saturday's Bundesliga contest, but hosts Gladbach swiftly hit back when Kevin Stoger converted a penalty.
Gladbach were reduced to 10 in stoppage time when substitute Tomas Cvancara received two bookings in quick succession, but Dortmund were made to settle for a draw.
It means Sahin's team, who created three big chances – defined as an opportunity from which a player would reasonably be expected to score – and had 16 shots, have still not won an away game in the league this term.
"It is frustrating that we did not kill off the game, that we did not score a second goal," said Sahin, who saw his goalkeeper Gregor Kobel make a fine save late on to deny Robin Hack.
"It hurts and is maybe more frustrating than the away defeats before. But we will learn from this."
Dortmund also lost Niklas Sule and Maximilian Beier to injury.
And the duo are now doubts for Dortmund's Champions League meeting with Barcelona next week.
"This is like a bad joke to be honest," said Sahin, who has had to grapple with a long injury list all seen.
"I don't know if I have done something wrong to have that many injures.
"Obviously after having taken them off, they are doubtful for Wednesday."
Michel: Some games are too big for Girona
Girona coach Michel conceded his team are struggling to compete with top teams as they fail to meet the same heights as last season.
Michel's side were a surprise package in LaLiga in 2023-24, but are finding matters more difficult this season.
While trying to juggle their Champions League exploits, losing four of their five matches in Europe so far, Girona sit eighth in LaLiga and have crashed out of the Copa del Rey.
A 3-0 home defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday marked a fourth straight match without a win in all competitions for Girona, and Michel says his team cannot cope in some games.
"There are games that, at the moment, are a little bit too big for us, like this game or some of the Champions League games," he told reporters.
"That punishes you because the players see that last year they were doing much better and this year it's not so easy.
"I said I wanted to qualify for Europe and I want to give this squad that boost. So many games, in three competitions, is costing us a lot."
He also pointed to the changes in his squad following the departure of key players such as Artem Dovbyk, who was LaLiga's leading scorer last term, and the arrival of new signings who have needed time to settle.
"It is difficult, structurally, because we have changed a lot of players. We haven't been able to train together much and there have been a lot of difficulties to have a good pre-season," Michel added.
"Everything we compare to the past is negative. We are a rising club and we are doing things right. We had to sell players."
Girona mustered just 0.3 expected goals in their loss to Madrid, despite registering 19 touches in Los Blancos' box, whereas Carlo Ancelotti's team only had 16 going the other way.
Defender Miguel Gutierrez put Girona's struggles down to their injury issues.
"The team has suffered a lot of injuries. It's costing us more. We still have months to keep growing," he told Movistar.
"We have to keep going. We have two very important games. In the Champions League against Liverpool, we're playing to get through. In LaLiga against Mallorca."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
