Genoa's Ellertsson and Sassuolo's Berardi see red after tunnel altercation
Genoa's Icelandic midfielder Mikael Ellertsson and Sassuolo's Italian winger Domenico Berardi were both sent off at halftime of their Serie A clash on Sunday following an altercation in the tunnel. The incident occurred as the teams were leaving the pitch at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris with the score 0-0, after the referee had already blown for the interval. The match finished 2-1 to Genoa.
According to reports from Sky Sport Italia and Gazzetta dello Sport, the altercation began as the players were heading towards the dressing rooms. The exact cause of the fight, which is said to have continued in the tunnel area, remains unclear, but it resulted in both players receiving straight red cards from the match officials. As a result, both teams were forced to play the entire second half with ten men.
On the pitch, the match was decided by a late goal. Ruslan Malinovskyi had given Genoa the lead in the 18th minute with a trademark long-range strike, his first goal for the club since joining in January. Sassuolo, who remain in the relegation zone, equalized just before the hour mark through Ismael Bennacer. The match was decided in the 84th minute, when Caleb Ekuban scored a late winner for the hosts, securing a vital 2-1 victory for the Grifone.
The dismissals will be a significant blow to both clubs. For Genoa, Ellertsson, a 22-year-old Icelandic winger, has been a regular starter since his move from Spezia, and his absence will be felt in a busy period of the season. For Sassuolo, the loss of their captain and star forward Berardi, the club's all-time top scorer, is a major setback in their fight against relegation. Both players are now set to serve suspensions, with the length to be determined by the league's disciplinary committee after a review of the incident.
The red cards and tunnel incident overshadowed the on-pitch action, which saw Genoa climb to a comfortable mid-table position, while Sassuolo's defeat leaves them in 19th place, three points from safety. The disciplinary fallout from the tunnel clash is expected to be reviewed by the Italian Football Federation, with potential for further sanctions beyond the automatic one-match ban for a straight red card.
