Inter CEO Beppe Marotta fumes at refereeing after loss to Napoli | OneFootball

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta has launched a furious critique of the refereeing following his side’s 3-1 defeat to Napoli, specifically targeting the controversial penalty awarded in the first half to the home side. That penalty, converted by Kevin De Bruyne, came from a contentious contact between Di Lorenzo and Mkhitaryan and put Napoli ahead after the referee’s initial decision was overturned by the assistant.

Speaking bluntly to DAZN after the match, Marotta suggested the officiating lacked clarity and coherence, referencing comments made by AIA Chief Gianluca Rocchi in the past.

“My presence is a contribution I want to give to the system, because I can’t understand. The penalty comes from an evaluation by the assistant. One time the VAR intervenes, another time the assistant and it overturns the referee who was very well placed. The referee had not whistled for the penalty and no one could have been better than him.”

Marotta emphasized that this specific, early decision was the turning point in the game, despite Napoli ultimately deserving the win for their performance later on.

“This dynamic would have required the intervention of the VAR, and from there the match took a particular turn. Then Napoli legitimately won, the team gave their all and honor to the winners. The victory of Napoli mainly stemmed from this element… The episode created bitterness and anger, the conditioning was there.”

The CEO’s central point was a demand for consistency, recalling Rocchi’s supposed directive against frivolous penalties.

“Rocchi has said ‘enough with the little penalties’ (rigorini) many times. We are looking for clarity once and for all. I am for the centrality of the referee but if an assistant intervenes, the referee cannot be conditioned so easily.”

Marotta’s comments, relayed via Tuttomercatoweb, put the spotlight squarely back on Serie A officiating, suggesting a fundamental disconnect between the rules, official directives, and execution on the pitch.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN