Italian sport papers claim Tiemoue Bakayoko should not have been sent off, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic would deserve ‘at least’ a yellow card for elbowing Kalidou Koulibaly.
Referee Paolo Valeri had a busy evening at the San Paolo and controversies aroused as Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s elbow on Kalidou Koulibaly wasn’t sanctioned at all.
Bakayoko was sent off through a double yellow card, but the first one shown to the Chelsea loanee was wrong, according to Tuttosport and La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Italian sport papers claim Tiemoue Bakayoko should not have been sent off, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic would deserve ‘at least’ a yellow card for elbowing Kalidou Koulibaly.
Referee Paolo Valeri had a busy evening at the San Paolo and controversies aroused as Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off while Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s elbow on Kalidou Koulibaly wasn’t sanctioned at all.
Bakayoko was sent off through a double yellow card, but the first one shown to the Chelsea loanee was wrong, according to Tuttosport and La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Frenchman hit Alexis Saelemaekers’ ankle after passing the ball. However, Valeri still punished Bakayoko because the challenge could have had serious consequences on his opponent. The second yellow card for a foul on Theo Hernandez in the second half is considered to be a fair call.
Minutes before Bakayoko was sent off, Ibra had hit Koulibaly with the elbow and that was the second controversial call of the evening at the San Paolo.
“Valeri doesn’t even give a foul to Napoli but Ibra would deserve at least a yellow card,” writes La Gazzetta dello Sport.
As per Il Corriere dello Sport, Ibra hit Koulibaly as he tried to take position during an aerial challenge. Watching the action on the replay, Ibra’s gesture shows “signs of voluntariness,” writes the paper, with Ibra who “would deserve at least a yellow card, or an orange one (if it existed).”
VAR didn’t consider the challenge of the Milan striker worthy a red card and for this reason the VAR referee Rosario Abisso didn’t advice Valeri.