Como’s Fabregas, Milan’s Allegri and an alleged pull of Saelemaekers’ shirt

EXPLAINERComo’s Fabregas, Milan’s Allegri and an alleged pull of Saelemaekers’ shirtAC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri sent off in controversial Serie A draw but Como boss Cesc Fabregas is left apologising.AC Milan's Italian coach Massimiliano Allegri, second left, and Como's Spanish coach Cesc Fabregas, third right, argue during the Italian Serie A football match at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on February 18, 2026 [Piero Cruciatti/AFP]Published On 19 Feb 2026AC Milan’s 1-1 home draw with Como saw them drop seven points behind rivals Inter in the race for Italy’s Serie A title, but the result was even more infuriating for the Rossoneri and their supporters after a controversial incident involving a Milan counterattack and the opposition manager, Cesc Fabregas.A coming together on the touchline, involving the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder while the ball was in play, resulted in play being stopped and the Milan manager, Massimiliano Allegri, being sent off.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4T20 World Cup: What you need to know about the Super Eight stagelist 2 of 4Farhan leads Pakistan into T20 World Cup Super Eights as Namibia crumblelist 3 of 4Safety concerns resurface after Vonn’s skis didn’t release in Olympic crashlist 4 of 4Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete under own flag at Paralympics 2026end of listThe overview of the incident was not completely clear at the time and continued into post-match interviews, where the allegations and accusations increased.What happened between Fabregas and Alexis Saelemaekers?With the match level at 1-1 and with only 10 minutes to play, Milan attempted a counter on the left flank just in front of the Como technical area.Rossoneri winger Alexis Saelemaekers was surrounded by Como defenders but attempted to cut infield to break clear of his opponents.Rather than continue his run, however, the Belgium international instead ground to a halt and immediately turned to remonstrate with Como manager Fabregas.The replays show Fabregas alongside Saelemaekers on the edge of the field of play, with Milan alleging the away team manager pulled the shirt of their player, preventing their attempted attack.Why was AC Milan’s Allegri sent off for the incident with Fabregas?A touchline bust-up ensued as the Milan bench, and their manager Allegri, confronted their opposite numbers from Como. Allegri was shown a red card by referee Maurizio Mariani for his part in the melee.Fabregas’s assistant, and Como team manager, was also shown a red card.What have Fabregas and Allegri said about the incident?In his post-match interview, Allegri made no attempt to hide his annoyance about the incident.“I believe there was a foul,” Allegri told the broadcaster, DAZN.“Saelemaekers was starting a counterattack and was pulled by someone from the bench – I think it was Fabregas.”AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is shown a red card by referee Maurizio Mariani [Daniele Mascolo/Reuters]Later, Fabregas admitted that his behaviour was “unsporting” but said he had touched the ball with his hand and not pulled Saelemaekers’s shirt.“I want to apologise first and foremost, I did something I am not proud of, and was unsporting,” Fabregas told DAZN. “We’ve got to keep our hands to ourselves … especially the coaches.“I apologise, it was just a little touch and Allegri’s response was exaggerated, but I admit I shouldn’t have done it.“I would’ve got angry too, so I can only apologise and say I hope it never happens again in my career.“I touched the ball with my hand to prevent Milan from resuming play… I acted unsportsmanlike, and I apologise,” Fabregas said.On Fabregas apologising for his part in the incident, Allegri replied: “I understand, but next time if someone runs down the line, I will make a sliding tackle and come in too.”Allegri also defended his actions, saying he only left his technical area to “defend his player”.Do Fabregas and Allegri have a history of poor behaviour?Allegri is known for his calm approach on and off the field. The former midfielder had a reputation for seeing the game at a quicker pace than others and controlling the flow of play accordingly, an alertness he is also renowned for on the touchline.Fabregas was an all-action midfielder for Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and Spain, and – much like Allegri – was hugely gifted technically. Having spent the majority of his career in the fast-paced English Premier League with the two London sides, Fabregas was known for a fiery approach in the centre of the park.As Como manager, Fabregas saw his team involved in a mass brawl during a preseason friendly in Spain against Real Betis last summer, which saw both sets of coaching staff drawn into the on-field scuffle where punches were thrown.How did the Serie A game between AC Milan and Como play out?Argentina midfielder Nico Paz put Como ahead in the 32nd minute following a clumsy error from Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.The France number one tried passing the ball from the edge of his penalty area, but Paz swiftly intercepted it and shot through Maignan’s legs for his ninth league goal of the season.Portugal winger Rafael Leao equalised midway through the second half for Milan with a neat lob after being set up by midfielder Ardon Jashari.The draw with Como extended Milan’s unbeaten streak in the league to 24 games, though the seven-point gap to rivals Inter is now looking substantial.Second-placed Milan are four points ahead of defending champions Napoli in third.Como moved into sixth spot on goal difference from Atalanta in the race for a Champions League place next season. Fifth-placed Juventus – formerly managed by Allegri – are four points ahead of Fabregas’s Como.