Inter CEO Beppe Marotta criticised referee Marco Piccinini and the VAR for a penalty incident in the 2-2 draw with Parma. ‘There was a clear and obvious penalty.’
The Nerazzurri sorely missed Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, as they were trailing 2-0 to a Gervinho brace, but Marcelo Brozovic’s deflected effort and a stoppage-time Ivan Perisic glancing header got them back to 2-2.
Inter CEO Beppe Marotta criticised referee Marco Piccinini and the VAR for a penalty incident in the 2-2 draw with Parma. ‘There was a clear and obvious penalty.’
The Nerazzurri sorely missed Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, as they were trailing 2-0 to a Gervinho brace, but Marcelo Brozovic’s deflected effort and a stoppage-time Ivan Perisic glancing header got them back to 2-2.
There was also controversy when Perisic seemed to be hauled down by Norbert Balogh, but the referee waved play on and VAR did not intervene.
Rather than coach Antonio Conte, it was director Marotta who gave the post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia at San Siro.
“The coach will talk about the game. This is not to seek an alibi, because that is not our style, and if you don’t put the ball in the net, you risk losing or drawing,” Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“Having said that, it is our duty also to protest at the refereeing decisions. This is our only venue for protesting, as we have no other way of making our voices heard.
“We realise VAR only intervenes with a clear and obvious error, but today there was a clear and obvious penalty. So either the referee pays closer attention or VAR must be used.
“If VAR is only partially used, then that damages everyone and creates a sense of inequality. After six games, it is only right to make this comment.”
Inter are not the first club to have complained this season that VAR is not being used as frequently as it should in Serie A, as Milan and Roma were both furious after a 3-3 draw with very debatable decisions.
“Everyone in football is in support of technology, which must limit errors, nobody thinks it can eliminate them entirely. However, when there are incidents like this, they ought to be clarified and technology used to evaluate it.
“We acknowledge the referee was not meant to be the referee today, as he was forced into it by Luca Pairetto’s injury. Piccinini also didn’t award another clear penalty for Inter against Benevento.
“I am not here to complain, I am here to request that the rules are followed, as it is only right that the referees are also called to be more careful seeing as coaches and directors are often called to stick to the rules too.
“I want to make very clear that I would have intervened to say all of this even if we had won the game, it is not an alibi for the result.
“The communication between referees and clubs ought to happen more often. I am not accusing anyone, I simply believe if there were more occasions to discuss these situations and share views, there would be less tension and in turn would make life easier for the referees. So far this season, we have not had a genuine meeting.”