Inter Penalty Decision: Club Backs Referee Call & Cites Past Controversy
The fallout from Inter Milan’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta on , continues to reverberate through Italian football, with revelations emerging about a post-match discussion between club officials and representatives from the Italian Refereeing Association (AIA). According to a report in Corriere della Sera, AIA officials acknowledged to Inter representatives that the Nerazzurri were correct to feel aggrieved by a missed penalty call during the match.
The incident in question occurred when Davide Frattesi and Giorgio Scalvini collided inside the Atalanta penalty area. Referee Manganiello and VAR did not award a penalty, a decision that sparked immediate controversy and fueled Inter’s concerns about the potential impact on the Serie A title race. With Milan poised to play Lazio, a dropped result for Inter narrowed the gap at the top of the table.
The Corriere della Sera report details a conversation that took place “in the stands” after the final whistle, involving AIA officials Gervasoni and De Marco, alongside Inter’s club leadership. The report states they “made it clear that, at least regarding the penalty, Inter were in the right.” This admission adds another layer to the ongoing debate surrounding refereeing decisions in Serie A, and specifically, Inter’s recent experiences with officiating.
The incident evokes memories of a similar situation last year, also at the San Siro, during Inter’s defeat against Roma. The Corriere della Sera report specifically references an uncalled foul by Roma’s Ndicka on Inter’s Bisseck, suggesting a pattern of unfavorable decisions for the Nerazzurri. “Ghosts never come alone,” the report states, implying a sense of recurring injustice.
Refereeing expert Luca Marelli, speaking on DAZN, offered a nuanced assessment of the Frattesi-Scalvini clash. Marelli acknowledged the difficulty of the call, describing the contact as “very slight” and emphasizing the subjective nature of such incidents. “Frattesi gets there first, Scalvini arrives late and makes contact with Frattesi’s leg… It’s a matter of sensitivity and subjectivity,” Marelli commented. He ultimately concluded that Manganiello’s decision, upheld by VAR, was defensible, stating, “In my view, it’s correct to leave the decision on the pitch.”
However, the admission from AIA officials suggests a level of internal disagreement or, at the very least, an acknowledgement that the decision was questionable. This is further underscored by a separate report from Corriere dello Sport, which details Inter’s “fury” over the officiating, not only regarding the missed penalty but also the VAR appointment of Gariglio, a decision that reportedly raised eyebrows before the match.
The Corriere dello Sport report highlights the intensity of the post-match reaction, with Inter players and staff surrounding Manganiello seeking explanations. The presence of Gervasoni and De Marco in the dressing room, and their subsequent indication that Inter were justified in their complaints about the penalty, only served to escalate the situation. The club opted for a silent approach following the match, a strategic decision to avoid potential sanctions or squalifications, a tactic contrasting with previous instances where club officials publicly voiced their concerns, such as Marotta after a match against Napoli.
Inter’s frustration is compounded by a perceived history of unfavorable refereeing decisions. The report references a previous incident against Verona two years ago, adding to a growing sense of grievance within the club. The Nerazzurri believe the officiating significantly impacted the result, denying them the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Serie A table to ten points over Milan.
The situation also draws attention to a broader conversation about VAR consistency in Serie A. A Yahoo Sports article from , details an open letter from an Italian assistant referee, Domenico Rocca, questioning the application of VAR, particularly in relation to Inter Milan. Rocca’s letter highlighted inconsistencies in penalty decisions, referencing a specific incident in Inter’s match against Roma where a potential penalty was not awarded.
Rocca’s letter raised concerns about potential external influence on refereeing decisions, specifically mentioning the intervention of referee-designator Gianluca Rocchi in previous cases. This adds another dimension to the current controversy, suggesting a potential lack of independence in the VAR process. The article details Inter’s frustration with decisions in matches against Lazio, Lecce, Bologna, and AC Milan, painting a picture of a club feeling consistently disadvantaged by officiating.
While Marelli’s analysis suggests the decision in the Atalanta match was within the bounds of subjective interpretation, the admission from AIA officials and the broader context of Inter’s recent experiences raise serious questions about the fairness and consistency of refereeing in Serie A. The club’s decision to remain silent publicly may be a tactical maneuver, but the underlying frustration and sense of injustice are palpable, and likely to continue fueling debate as the title race intensifies.