According to most Italian media, Juventus should have been awarded a penalty kick in the first half of their match against Napoli for Dries Mertens handball.

The incident happened just a few minutes before the half-time break with Napoli 1-0 up. Juan Cuadrado’s long-range free-kick hit the Belgium international’s arm, which was not in line with the bottom of the armpit.

Referee Simone Sozza didn’t notice it and VAR Massimiliano Irrati didn’t call the match official, not considering it a clear and obvious mistake.

Juventus players didn’t protest, but according to most Italian media, Mertens’ handball was worthy of a penalty kick for the Bianconeri.

Il Corriere dello Sport, La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport claim the Old Lady should have been awarded a penalty and the same goes for DAZN referee expert Luca Marelli who said it was an obvious penalty kick for the Bianconeri.

However, DAZN pundit Ciro Ferrara, a former Napoli and Juventus defender, commented the incident from a player’s perspective, saying that Mertens didn’t move his arm towards the ball.

Napoli players appealed for a penalty kick in the second half for a contact between Matthijs de Ligt and Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport, it was not worth a penalty, while Il Corriere dello Sport claims the Partenopei should also have been awarded a spot kick.

9 thought on “‘Juventus should have been awarded a penalty against Napoli’”
  1. It’s a funny old world isn’t it?

    When Juve were at the top, every decision went their way.

    Now, they’re crying that things aren’t going their way.

    Welcome to the real world.

    See how difficult it is to win 9 titles in a row when you get the same decisions as everyone else.

  2. Vogel maybe you should check who gets the most pens every year in Serie A and see that Juve never finish top or anywhere near top, you are absolutely clueless Juve get the worst decisions ever especially since VAR was introduced and I expect it to be worse this season because of the whole super league thing, Juve are being pinocshed, some horrible calls this season, just because Juve won 9 in a row ilnot once in one of those seasons where we awarded the most pens in the league while Inter AC Napoli all had there go on top, you are just a plan hater filled with jealousy

  3. Who was crying? Literally nobody appealed. Nobody has said anything apart from the media. Can you even read?

  4. I agree that since VAR was introduced Juve no longer receives favorable decisions like before (sometime they do but it balances itself out in the end like it should) I wonder why …

  5. Hard to tell from these ultra HD 8k super HQ screenshots. After rewatching the proper footage looks to me like the ball hit Mertens’ shoulder. De Ligt vs GDL also doesn’t look a pen. Not to sound like a fifa manager, but the 1-1 was a fair reflection of the game. Peace.

  6. Lorenzo, youre as much a journalist as you are an Inter player. This is pure fanboyism lol.

  7. The bias of referees in Serie A toward Juve doesn’t only apply to VAR, The team gets calls and non calls for it’s play style and will continue to do so even outside of Turin.

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