Milan v Roma chaos: Saelemaekers targeted, Guida under fire | OneFootball

The evening at San Siro, where Milan and Roma faced off in the late match of the tenth day of Serie A, turned into a media and disciplinary case.

Milan-Roma, chaos at San Siro: Saelemaekers in the spotlight for celebration, Guida at risk after suspicious contact

The episode that sparked controversy involves Alexis Saelemaekers, who was the protagonist of a celebration deemed provocative after Paulo Dybala's penalty miss, and referee Marco Guida, accused by some commentators of reacting with an inappropriate gesture towards the Milan player.

The Belgian, a former Roma player, had already shown nervousness following the penalty awarded to Roma for a presumed handball by Fofana. The decision, made in the 78th minute, sparked protests from Milan, who were leading 1-0 thanks to Pavlovic's goal.

The incriminated episode: from the contested penalty to the Guida–Saelemaekers contact

When Dybala took the penalty and missed, cameras caught Saelemaekers celebrating flamboyantly, directing his actions towards the Roma bench and then, according to several frames, also towards referee Guida. The gesture, considered by many as inappropriate, triggered a direct confrontation between the two.

As shown in the slow-motion replay by Graziano Cesari during the Pressing broadcast on Canale 5, the Campanian referee reportedly approached the former Roma player, even going so far as to give him a slight kick. A behavior that, if confirmed by the footage, could have disciplinary consequences for the referee as well.

"Look closely," Cesari explained, "Guida approaches and gives a small kick to Saelemaekers. This is not behavior befitting an international referee. I would have cautioned the player for excessive celebration, but the referee should not have reacted this way."

Reactions and controversies: Roma fans against Saelemaekers

If Guida risks coming under the scrutiny of the Arbitration Prosecutor, things are not much better for Saelemaekers, who has been overwhelmed by criticism from Roma fans on social media. Many accused the former Roma winger of "bully" behavior and a lack of respect towards the team that welcomed him the previous season.

Some comments reflect the post-match atmosphere: "I don't understand what we did to Saelemaekers. Always applauded him, yesterday he seemed to have a score to settle." And again: "After a year of pampering, he behaved like a provocateur. We're waiting for him in Rome."

The episode, amplified by social media and television replays, risks turning into a double disciplinary case, with possible sanctions for both the player and the referee.

What could happen now

According to FIGC regulations, even a referee can be subjected to TV review in case of improper behavior or violation of the ethical code. The Federal Prosecutor could therefore open a file to evaluate the footage of the contact between Guida and Saelemaekers.

On the Milan front, the club is monitoring the situation while awaiting any decisions from the Sports Judge. Saelemaekers, who had already risked a caution for protests, could be called out for unsportsmanlike conduct.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.