AC Milan midfielder Michael Essien has escaped tough punishment for his sending off last week in the Serie A and handed a one-match suspension.

The Ghana international will miss Sunday’s fixture against Genoa at the Marassi stadium.

Essien held out his arm over Allan Marques Loureiro’s face as they ran together and was booked for the second which led to his dismissal.

The former Chelsea player had been a regular fixture in Fillipo Inzaghi’s starting line-up due to the injury to Nigel de Jong.