Pescara full-back Francesco Zampano insists his handball on the line against Genoa was “involuntary” after a two-match ban.
The scoreline was still 0-0 when he parried a shot off the line, but as he was standing right next to Albano Bizzarri and the crossbar was casting a shadow, the hand was mistaken for that of the goalkeeper.
That game ended 1-1 and Zampano provided the decisive cross for Pescara’s equaliser.
Pescara full-back Francesco Zampano insists his handball on the line against Genoa was “involuntary” after a two-match ban.
The scoreline was still 0-0 when he parried a shot off the line, but as he was standing right next to Albano Bizzarri and the crossbar was casting a shadow, the hand was mistaken for that of the goalkeeper.
That game ended 1-1 and Zampano provided the decisive cross for Pescara’s equaliser.
Today the Disciplinary Commission used video evidence to ascertain the incident and handed Zampano a two-match ban for unsporting behaviour.
“As you can see from the video, it was a very quick move with the ball that bounced off my thigh and then involuntarily struck me on the hand, but I can assure you that it was an instinctive gesture that I hadn’t even noticed at the time.
“Only re-watching the footage from a certain angle can you see the ball hits my hand after the leg, so it is an absolutely involuntary gesture.”
The rules on handball in Serie A do state that if it ricochets off another part of the body on to the hand, it cannot be considered voluntary.