Italian Refereeing Association Representative Delivers Verdict On Fiorentina 1-1 Inter Milan Penalty Drama: “Not Punishable” | OneFootball

Mauro Tonolini has hailed Andrea Colombo for his performance in Sunday’s Serie A clash between Fiorentina and Inter Milan.

During the latest episode of DAZN’s Open VAR via FCInterNews, Tonolini delivered his verdict on the Nerazzurri’s penalty claim in that match.

Fiorentina held the San Siro giants to a 1-1 draw at Stadio Artemio Franchi on the stroke of the international break.

Despite taking an early lead through Francesco Pio Esposito, the visitors failed to bounce back from a two-game winless league run.

Indeed, Cher Ndour scored a 77th-minute equalizer to condemn Inter to their first three-game winless Serie A streak since 2023.

However, there was a moment of controversy that left Beppe Marotta fuming.

Indeed, referee Andrea Colombo refused to penalize Marin Pongracic’s handball inside the box.

Colombo’s decision prompted an immediate response from the Nerazzurri president, but the Italian Refereeing Association doesn’t share the same opinion.

Maurio Tonolini Comments on Fiorentina 1-1 Inter Milan Controversy

“An absolutely correct decision,” Colombo said. “And a correct reading of the situation straight away by Colombo, who was in an excellent position and assessed the incident appropriately.

“The ball bounces in front of Pongracic, who tries to play it with his heel, and the contact with the arm is entirely consistent with the movement.

“It’s a non-punishable situation: Colombo’s decision was correct and then confirmed by VAR. The arm position is not punishable in terms of both positioning and dynamics.

“The fact that Thuram was behind the defender makes absolutely no difference – the evaluation is independent of the outcome of the subsequent action.”

Inter will be looking to recover from recent setbacks when they take on Roma in a high-stakes clash at San Siro after the international break.

Furthermore, Lautaro Martinez is reportedly likely to regain full fitness during the break and lead the line against the Giallorossi.