Refereeing controversy in Milan’s Serie A win: Christian Pulisic aims two-word shout at match official after Bologna win

Milan earned a narrow but vital 1-0 victory over Bologna at San Siro last weekend, but the result was overshadowed by controversy as referee Matteo Marcenaro overturned a crucial penalty decision late in the match — and Milan’s Christina Pulisic voiced his frustration with a cryptic two-word message.

Milan earned a narrow but vital 1-0 victory over Bologna at San Siro last weekend, but the result was overshadowed by controversy as referee Matteo Marcenaro overturned a crucial penalty decision late in the match — and Christian Pulisic voiced his frustration with a cryptic two-word message.

Coming off the international break, Milan knew they needed to keep momentum on their side. Massimiliano Allegri’s men had bounced back strongly after a shock opening-day defeat to Cremonese, and they were determined to show the San Siro faithful that the resurgence was real.

The match itself was a cagey affair, with both sides cautious and measured. But in the 60th minute, Luka Modric produced the moment of quality that separated the two teams. The Croatian midfielder coolly slotted home from just outside the box, a finish that reflected his trademark composure and intelligence on the ball. The real drama, however, came in the closing stages of the game. Milan was awarded a penalty after Christopher Nkunku was fouled inside the box — only for VAR to intervene and overturn the decision. The reversal left players, staff, and fans fuming.

Even FIGC president Gabriele Gravina later admitted that a serious error had been made, telling Radio Anch’io Sport: “This is an obvious mistake. But when we talk about technology, we are moving forward, not going back to the past. Technology has significantly reduced the percentage of errors.”

Allegri, who had been visibly animated on the touchline, was sent off after expressing his anger at the decision. The dismissal means he will miss Milan’s next match on the sidelines — a further blow for the Rossoneri.

What did Pulisic say?

Among the players to express frustration was Christian Pulisic. The USMNT captain, who entered the game as a second-half substitute, was lively from the moment he came on. He created two dangerous chances — setting up Santiago Gimenez, who hit the post, and playing in Nkunku for the move that led to the overturned penalty.

But Pulisic also felt he had a claim of his own. After nutmegging the opponent’s defender inside the box, he appeared to be dragged down. Neither the referee nor VAR considered it a foul.

The next day, Pulisic took to Instagram to share a video clip of the incident — and this is where the mystery came in. The Milan star captioned the clip with just two words: “Ayee Refff”, followed by a laughing emoji. It was a playful but pointed jab at the referee’s decision not to award him a spot-kick