Publications
Partners
Cape Town - AC
Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu laid heavy criticism on referee Jonas
Eriksson after the Rossoneri were knocked out of the Europa League by
Arsenal.
The Italian outfit came into the last-16 second-leg clash at the Emirates Stadium on the back of a 2-0 defeat at home. However, Calhanoglu gave the visitors hope of turning it around when he opened the scoring with a wonder-strike from 30 yards.
Unfortunately for Milan, Arsenal were awarded a dubious penalty a few minutes later when Eriksson pointed to the spot after Danny Welbeck went down in the box. Welbeck slotted the spot-kick to give the hosts the momentum. Granit Xhaka found the back of the net as well, before another goal from Welbeck completed a 3-1 victory.
Calhanoglu told Milan TV: "The referee was man of the match. I will never forget that.
"We played well and it's not easy to do that here. We scored and then conceded an incredible goal, it's not normal in the Europa League to see something like that.
"Ricardo Rodriguez didn't touch him, but for the referee it was a penalty anyway. I was fouled in the first leg and didn't let myself go like that.
"It's obvious that was the incident that changed the game. We reacted well even after their equaliser and had chances, but this is football."
