Mark van Bommel welcomed to Serie A with a red card

Referee Paolo Tagliavento tries to make van Bommel feel more at home. By sending him back to the dressing room.

In his first match in Serie A (his Italian debut with a midweek Coppa Italia win over Sampdoria), rough-houser Mark van Bommel lasted just 54 minutes against Catania before being shown his second yellow card and getting sent off. Did you expect anything else?

Luckily for Milan, Robinho scored just four minutes later and Zlatan Ibrahimovic made it 2-0 in shortly before full time, so they still got a win despite their 33-year-old new signing. Have a look at the van Bommel-y contact that got him sent off...

After the match, manager Massimiliano Allegri said van Bommel needs to be a little more subtle in his efforts to constantly foul people (via Football Italia):

Its fair enough, said the Coach of the red card on Van Bommels Serie A debut.

The referees make decisions based on what they see and this is an example. Van Bommel shouldve been a bit sneakier, but it is his second game in Italian football.

These fouls are not generally sanctioned with a booking in Germany, but he is a generally aggressive player.

Mark van Bommel a "generally aggressive player"?! You don't say. Next you'll tell me Rino Gattuso tends to be a little excitable.

Photo: Getty Images