Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up two goals but was also sent off as AC Milan won 3-1 at relegation-threatened Parma to keep their unlikely Serie A hopes alive.
Ibrahimovic had a hand in both Milan’s first-half goals but was shown a straight red card on the hour mark for something he appeared to say to referee Fabio Maresca.
Riccardo Gagliolo reduced the deficit but substitute Rafael Leao sealed the result in stoppage time as Milan moved to within eight points of leaders Inter Milan, who host Cagliari on Sunday.
“I spoke to Zlatan and he told me that he absolutely didn’t say anything offensive toward the referee,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli said. “He had a discussion but without lacking respect.
“I haven’t spoken to Maresca and I don’t know his version. The last thing Ibra said was ‘so you’re not interested in what I’m saying’. It’s obvious that the match changed after his sending off but my team managed to fill the gap with a lot of will and determination.”
Milan got off to a perfect start as Ibrahimovic sent a through ball to Ante Rebic, who gathered with his back to goal, spun round and fired powerfully into the top right corner.
Ibrahimovic, 39, was also involved in Milan’s second a minute from the break. Theo Hernandez played a one-two with the Sweden forward and touched it on to Franck Kessie, who drilled into the bottom left corner.
Parma had a triple chance to get back into the match five minutes into the second half but Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a double save to deny first Andrea Conti and then Graziano Pelle, and Juraj Kucka’s attempt was over the bar.
Ibrahimovic was sent off shortly after and Parma got back into the match six minutes later. A ball was floated to the back post and Pelle nodded it across to Gagliolo, who managed to prod in from close range.
Milan held on and made sure of all three points when Diogo Dalot raced down the right and rolled across for fellow substitute Leao to fire into the bottom right corner, shortly after coming off the bench.
