Rafa Benitez substituted Goran Pandev on for Diego Milito at halftime, a move that seemed questionable at the time due to Inter already having made substitution. It’s turned out to be a stroke of genius for Rafa, though, as Pandev’s mind games have caused Milan to go down to ten men.
Inter Milan 0-1 A.C. Milan: Milan Down To Ten, Pandev An Evil Genius
Ignazio Abate was preparing to be substituted as he appeared to have picked up a knock. Aware that he was on a yellow card, Goran Pandev shoved him to provoke an incident, and Abate predictably shoved back. When the referee blew the whistle and approached the two, he was surrounded by Milan players and Abate realized his mistake instantly. Both players were predictably shown yellow cards, Abate his second of the match, and Milan were reduced to ten men.
As a result of the sending off, Luca Antonini, who was preparing to enter the match anyway, came on for Robinho instead of Abate. He will be playing left back while Zambrotta has switched to right back. Milan also made a substitution at halftime, substituting on Andrea Pirlo for Genaro Gattuso.
Shortly afterward, Marco Materazzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic went into an outrageous challenge, both jumping and raising their studs. Materazzi got the worst of it, Ibrahimovic saw a yellow card, and Materazzi was stretchered off. He was unable to continue and Inter subbed on Jonathan Biabiany for him, moving Javier Zanetti to right back and Ivan Cordoba to center back.
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