Theo Hernández's embarrassing dive enrages Italian fans and press: He will be punished by Milan

AC Milan's shocking upset at the Champions League knockout play-off yesterday against Feyenoord will have consequences. It comes right after a buying spree in the winter transfer market with five new signings, including Joao Felix from Chelsea, Kyle Walker from Manchester City and Santiago Giménez... from Feyenoord.

Their early exit from Champions League, without reaching the round of 16 (they've been eliminated in the play-off), means they will lose up to 11 million euros. The match was tragic for the Rossoneri, and most if not all the blame fell of to Theo Hernández, who saw a second yellow card and was dismissed in the 51st minute... for faking a tackle. The first one was an unnecessary shirt grab.

Despite the coach Sérgio Conceição exonerating Hernández ("the referee was harsh, should have given him a warning, we are not angry with Theo, but with ourselves"), press and fans in Italy are lashing on the French player. "Theo always dives. It's not the first time he's faked it. This time he found a fair and severe referee who punished him. But the worst thing was the first yellow card: there he acted in a childish way", said Milan legend Fabio Capello on Sky Sports.

Theo Hernández will be punished in Milan

According to La Gazzeta dello Sport, which considers this "high treason", the player will be fined. "The club has already made the first decision: the player will be fined. Of course, football remains a team sport, you win and lose all together, etc. etc. But here, retracing the two warnings, we are at the edge of reality. Something that goes beyond the logic of the explainable."

What is worse is that the renewal Theo wanted looks further than ever now (according to this outlet, at least). Hernández wanted to continue at Milan, asking for a salary of around 7 million, similar to Rafael Leão, the highest paid player of the squad, but the deal "has been at a standstill for several weeks now"... and is now much more unlikely to happen. Hernández ends contract in 2026, but the club will likely sell him in the summer, "partly because the cycle appears to be over and partly because it is Milan's last chance to cash in on his transfer".