Most Italian media feel Napoli deserved a penalty kick against Barcelona for a foul on Victor Osimhen in the second half, but there was another controversial decision that went unnoticed last night.
Napoli were eliminated from the Champions League Round of 16 at the hands of Barcelona on Tuesday, and although ex-Italian coaches Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello feel the Partenopei didn’t deserve to qualify for the quarter-finals, there was an incident in the second half that could have changed the game’s outcome.
Most Italian media claim Napoli should have been given a penalty kick at minute 50 for Pau Cubarsí’s step on Osimhen’s foot.
‘The referee probably thought it was a low-intensity contact, but Cubarsí did step on Osimhen’s foot, so a penalty kick was the correct decision,’ noted La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Matteo Pierelli on page two.
‘Strangely, VAR didn’t intervene, not even for a pitchside review.’
Former Serie A official Graziano Cesari, a referee pundit for Sport Mediaset was also ‘surprised’ that VAR didn’t urge referee Danny Makkelie to the pitchside monitor to review the incident.
Cesari also said that Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen deserved a red card for a harsh tackle on Stanislav Lobotka in the first half.
Napoli reporter Luca Cerchione highlighted on X, formerly Twitter, another error that went unnoticed on Tuesday night saying that Jesper Lindstrøm had been fouled in the build-up to Barcelona’s third goal. The referee waved the play on but didn’t blow the whistle when the ball went out of play, so the Catalans scored their third goal after resuming play with a throw-in.
More favours for Barca , a bankrupt Club that is allowed to operate . If you are Real , PSG , Man City Barca Inter or Ac , you are protected.