Napoli v Eintracht: Controversial penalty, Pinheiro unimpressive | OneFootball

The Portuguese referee Pinheiro holds the match but doesn't shine: some episodes need reviewing, including a hold on Elmas

Napoli-Eintracht, the review: doubtful penalty on Elmas and a handball by Theate. Pinheiro manages, but doesn't convince

In the draw between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, the refereeing by Portuguese João Pinheiro did not fully convince. The Portuguese whistle, fresh from the Under 20 World Cup in Chile (where he officiated the Argentina-Colombia semifinal), maintained control of the match but with too many uncertainties in key moments.

A total of 22 fouls were called and 5 yellow cards were issued: a rather high threshold by UEFA standards. Some incidents, however, seemed to escape his attention, such as Kristensen's prolonged hold on Elmas inside the German area, an episode that could have prompted VAR intervention.

Rating: 5.5

The Neres-Theate incident: possible handball

The most discussed moment of the evening came at the end, with Neres entering the area and being tackled by Theate in a slide. The Belgian defender fell on his left arm, then – in an attempt to get up – touched the ball with his right elbow while the blue attacker had already passed.

From the images, the impact seems partly accidental, but the arm movement appears suspicious, almost as if trying to intercept the ball. Despite the doubt, VAR Martins (Portugal) did not intervene, confirming the on-field decision and leaving the action without sanctions.

No penalty on Koch: handball excluded

Another contested incident involved an alleged handball by Koch in the German area after a header by McTominay. Referee Pinheiro had already stopped the game for a light push by Buongiorno on Burkardt, so even a potential touch would have had no consequences.

Shortly after, another similar incident: Anguissa strikes and the ball hits Koch's chest, not his arm, which remains close to his body. A correct decision in this case as well.

Pinheiro, in his twelfth match officiating Italian teams, showed his usual confidence in disciplinary management but appeared less precise on the technical front. Some time-wasting by Eintracht went unsanctioned, and the general perception is that the referee let too much go in some instances, disrupting the flow of the game. Not a scandalous refereeing, but inconsistent and lacking uniformity in foul assessment.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.