Como coach Cesc Fàbregas delivered a blunt assessment of striker Álvaro Morata after the forward's red card contributed to a 2-1 home defeat against Fiorentina. Morata, who came on as a substitute in the 57th minute, received two quick yellow cards in the final moments of Saturday's game, leaving his team to finish with nine men.

Fàbregas didn't hold back in his criticism of the experienced forward, stating "Provocation is part of football" and adding that Morata "has to do something else" when facing it. The suspension means Morata will miss Wednesday's league match at parent club AC Milan, where he's currently on loan. Morata has failed to score in 15 Serie A appearances since joining Como last summer.

The defeat ended Como's impressive 10-game unbeaten run across all competitions and dropped the team to seventh in Serie A. Morata had recently returned from a thigh injury picked up in December. His dismissal came after a tussle with Fiorentina's Rolando Mandragora followed by an off-the-ball incident with Luca Ranieri that left the opponent on the ground.