Chaos and controversy surrounding the referees. The 19th round of Serie A is marked by controversial refereeing incidents that have particularly sparked the anger of Napoli and Lazio.Watch the entire ...
Chaos and controversy surrounding the referees. The 19th round of Serie A is marked by controversial refereeing incidents that have particularly sparked the anger of Napoli and Lazio.
Napoli-Verona and Lazio-Fiorentina have become emblematic cases of a matchday filled with incidents, penalties, and disallowed goals that have fueled protests and the anger of the two clubs.
The post-match was indeed characterized by controversies and analyses of the events that decided the two matches, both ending in a 2-2 draw.
🧨 "Does Hojlund have to amputate his arm?"
At the end of the draw between Napoli and Hellas Verona, Antonio Conte appeared on DAZN's microphones.
Conte focused on the disallowed goal by Hojlund: “Our goal by Hojlund was disallowed, and I don't know where he was supposed to have that arm. Subjective evaluations by those at VAR, we have to accept them, and we do. What is he supposed to do with that arm? Amputate it? It becomes difficult, but we move on.”
🔍 Valentini-Buongiorno Contact
Napoli also protests for the penalty awarded to Hellas Verona for Buongiorno's handball.
Luca Marelli examines the incidents, explaining on DAZN: “There is a clash in the area between the two players, and Buongiorno touches the ball with his hand. The hand is in a wide position, but Valentini's movement must be considered, initially regular because he jumps, but then the right arm impacts the defender. It's not just a simple contact, but an arm that impacts quite hard on Buongiorno between the neck and shoulder.”
Marelli adds: “The on-field review could be justified, but the best decision would have been to review and award a free kick in favor of Napoli for Valentini's foul on Buongiorno.”
‼️ Penalty? No, FOUL by Valentini
Few doubts from the newspapers in the review.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, it is Valentini who commits the foul:
“At the 24th minute, a penalty is awarded to Verona after a long review. Buongiorno has his arm high, in a punishable position, when he touches the ball, but it is contested by Valentini who, while jumping, commits a foul (hit to the neck) on the Napoli player. More than a penalty, it seems like a foul in favor of the home team.”
This version is also shared by Corriere dello Sport.
“In the area, Buongiorno touches the ball with his left hand (fist), well above the shoulder line, a textbook penalty, to be shown in sections. Actually, no, better not. Because it should be explained that there is a fairly clear foul by Valentini first, who yes, jumps first, higher, but while descending, he knocks down Buongiorno with his right arm between the face, neck, and chest, also on the left side of the blue. After the OFR, at the announcement, we would have expected a ‘penalty, but first foul by no. 6, etc etc’. But no…”
💥 THE TWO incidents in Lazio-Fiorentina
Even in the match between Lazio and Fiorentina, there was no shortage of controversies over referee Sozza's decisions.
The anger of the Biancocelesti and the Olimpico was sparked by the missed penalty for the Gila-Pongracic contact and the one awarded at the end to the visitors for the Gila-Gudmundsson contact.
💣 “Gila-Pongracic? UNEXPLAINABLE. Gud LITTLE PENALTY”
Marelli again intervenes on the incidents on DAZN. On the contact between Gila and Pongracic, he states: “In this circumstance, I struggle to understand why the VAR did not intervene. The referee was covered, but the VAR? The two players hold each other, then Gila releases the opponent and is held by the left hand by Pongracic. There is a penalty to be awarded. I struggle to explain why the VAR did not intervene and there is also a missing yellow card for unsportsmanlike behavior.”
On the penalty awarded for the Gila-Gudmundsson contact, Marelli is clear: “Contact between Gila and Gudmundsson on the first intervention, there is no lunge from Gila, then with the trailing leg, the Spaniard touches him very lightly. In my opinion, this is a poorly done review. The contact is really minimal.
We have been saying for years that ‘little penalties’ should not be awarded and then we award these penalties. I see no reason to award this penalty, such a contact can never lead to a penalty.”
😡 Sozza “EMBARRASSING”
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Pongracic on Gila incident is a penalty:
"A penalty is missing for Lazio. Gila is held by the shirt by Pongracic in the area. The intensity of the contact is punishable, the referee does not judge it as a foul (or does not see it?). The VAR confirms the decision on the field. Fiorentina penalty: Gudmundsson's leg is wide, Gila's is close to the body. The dynamics lead to contact. Many doubts.”
Corriere dello Sport is harsh:
“Embarrassing. This is not just the adjective used by Luca Pellegrini in the tunnel to describe the missed penalty on Gila, but it is the summary of Sozza's performance (it's hard to remember that he is an international, at the mercy of events) and especially of the VAR, Pezzuto (always said, even to Rocchi: those who were not great referees on the field cannot be phenomena in Lissone).”
“As mentioned, a clear penalty is missing for Lazio. In the Fiorentina area, a ball directed towards the goal is intercepted by Fagioli who puts it in favor of Gila, who has the advantage over Pongracic, having stolen the time: free ball, ready to be kicked, but from behind the Viola defender pulls his shirt (which stretches very noticeably) causing Gila to lose time and balance. A penalty to be seen live, but Sozza sleeps. Well, the VAR (Pezzuto) will take care of it: no way, good night to all. Didn't we say enough with little penalties? Gila goes in on Gudmundsson, there is a slight contact on the right foot. Given on the field, it would have been debatable. But Pezzuto, who did nothing on a massive shirt pull, what does he do? Calls OFR. And Sozza falls for it.”
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
📸 CARLO HERMANN - AFP or licensors
Category: General Sports
