Ref chief says Napoli goal wrongly disallowed, penalty decision was correct | OneFootball

Refereeing chief Dino Tommasi says Napoli’s second goal against Atalanta should have stood, though the first-half penalty for the Partenopei was rightly overturned after a VAR review in their 2-1 defeat.

The incidents came on Sunday, with the penalty cancelled following a pitchside check, then after the break Daniele Chiffi disallowed Miguel Gutierrez’s finish for a foul by Hojlund on Hien. Napoli later sent director Giovanni Manna to voice their complaints.

Speaking to DAZN, Tommasi said there was no foul for the penalty because Hojlund sought contact while Hien held his ground. He felt Chiffi’s first impression was wrong but corrected on review, and he praised VAR officials Aureliano and Di Paolo.

He told ANSA the contact before the second goal was too slight to be a foul, so the annulment was an on-field mistake. Tommasi added that Chiffi generally kept a high threshold, whistling rarely, but lowered it on those two key moments, and that a correct on-pitch call would have changed the picture.

The result leaves Napoli third in Serie A, level on 50 points with Roma.

Source: Football Italia