Milan’s Jovic hit with two-match ban for hitting opponent

Luka Jovic was banned for two Serie A matches on Tuesday after hitting an opponent during AC Milan’s dramatic 4-2 defeat at Monza at the weekend.

In a statement, Serie A said that Serbia forward Jovic was sent off early in the second half, with his team two goals down, for slapping Monza’s Armando Izzo.

Olivier Giroud and Christian Pulisic then made light of being a man down by pulling Milan level with two minutes remaining, but Monza stunned its opponent with last-gasp strikes from Warren Bondo and Lorenzo Colombo.

Jovic will miss matches against Atalanta and Lazio, which are aiming for a spot in next season’s revamped Champions League.

Also hit with a heavy ban was Lazio’s sporting director Mariano Fabiani, who was suspended for a month for a tirade against officials during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Bologna.

Fabiani was banned for having, at the end of the first half, “entered the field, contesting the referee’s performance in a threatening and intimidating manner”.

Serie A added that Fabiani continued the same behaviour once the teams were in the tunnel, pushing the referee in anger.