Walter Gargano has launched a scathing attack on Wesley Sneijder for the Ducthman’s poor challenge on the Napoli midfielder in midweek.
Walter Gargano has launched a scathing attack on Wesley Sneijder for the Ducthman’s poor challenge on the Napoli midfielder in midweek.
During the Azzurri’s 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Inter at the San Paolo on Wednesday night, Sneijder was fortunate not to receive a straight red for high tackle on Gargano.
The No 10 went in studs-first on to the midfielder’s shin, enraging the Uruguayan, but the incident went unnoticed by the match officials, who did not even award a free-kick.
Gargano, however, has vocalised his anger at Sneijder’s action and suggested that he did well not to over-react at the time.
“It was very wrong,” the 27-year-old began, describing the tackle to Sport 890. “I do not know if you could call it cowardice, but it certainly was an action that could also break a leg.
“At the time of the foul I was furious and I do not know how I managed to control myself. Looking at the pictures now, it still makes my blood boil.
“It was a bad tackle, I could have broken something. It was a rapid movement from Sneijder, but voluntary.
“A clash above the shin is a justifiable action if he were trying to reach a ball that was travelling at mid-height, but not when it was travelling along the ground, as in this case.
“Instinctively I would have given him a couple of slaps but luckily I managed to stay calm. I could not leave my team outnumbered by getting sent off.
“Obviously I was angry and the first reaction that crossed my mind was to get my hands on the one who had caught me.
“He was worried that perhaps I wanted some revenge in the next tackle because from that moment on he started playing the ball very quickly whenever he came into possession.
“I managed to stay calm. Perhaps an instinctive gesture on my part would have been understandable, but fortunately I have proven to be a mature person and today I am happy to be able to easily talk about what happened.”