Roma v Napoli: Florenzi says Koné’s reaction showed no foul | OneFootball

The discussion about the decisive episode of Roma-Napoli shows no signs of dying down. The clash between Rrahmani and Koné, which occurred at the edge of the Neapolitan area and led to Neres' goal, continues to divide fans and experts.

Roma-Napoli, former Giallorossi player Florenzi surprises: “Koné's reaction made me realize it wasn't a foul”

While many judge the intervention of the Napoli defender as a foul, the referee Massa allowed play to continue, leading to the counterattack that decided the match.

Surprisingly, Alessandro Florenzi – former Roma captain and now a respected technical commentator – defended the referee's decision while speaking on Sky Calcio Club. The winger, who grew up in Trigoria, offered a different interpretation of the incident: “Koné even tries to get back up. He falls badly because he realized the opponent touched the ball and tries to get back up. Koné's reaction made me realize it wasn't a foul.”

An explanation that stood out for its originality and deviates from the dominant interpretation, contributing to making the debate even more lively.

What really happened in the Koné-Rrahmani clash

The dynamics of the action remain a topic of discussion on social media and in post-match analyses. The images show a borderline intervention, difficult to read in real-time. Even authoritative figures like Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledged the complexity of the episode: “It’s not a situation where it's easy to take a clear stance,” commented the coach.

According to the technical analysis by Edmondo Pinna, Rrahmani's intervention would be regular: the defender touches the ball first, an element that justifies the decision not to award a foul. An interpretation that aligns with the logic of “game contact,” often tolerated when the defender clearly plays the ball.

However, Koné's version is very different. The French midfielder of Roma, visibly upset, expressed his discontent after the match: “The opponent touched me: there is no doubt. These are important matches, high-ranking ones, decided by details. The referee should have looked at the action carefully on VAR and then made a decision. It was appropriate to review everything, why wasn't it done?”

A direct criticism of the VAR management, which fits into the broader debate on the quality of refereeing decisions in recent weeks.

An episode destined to spark discussion

The lack of a VAR review fuels doubts and reignites the discussion on the protocol and its application. On one side, those who support the regularity of Rrahmani's intervention. On the other, those who believe a more thorough check was mandatory in such a decisive contact.

Florenzi's interpretation adds a new element: not only the dynamics of the clash but also the immediate reaction of the player involved can guide the referee's reading.

With Roma competing for the top spots and Napoli back at the summit, episodes like this become decisive and inevitably come under scrutiny.

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