Napoli goalkeeper labels football a “farce” in social media outburst after defeat to Atalanta | OneFootball

This Sunday saw a major shake-up in the Serie A title picture, with both Milan and Napoli losing out in key fixtures. The latter’s 2-1 loss to Atalanta caused a particular stir, as third-choice keeper Nikita Contini took to social media.

The clash saw Napoli fall to their sixth defeat of the league campaign and lose their grip on third place. After two second-half headers from Mario Pasalic and Lazar Samardzic overturned Sam Beukema’s 18th-minute opener, the Ukraine-born stopper had some choice words regarding two major flashpoints.

First, VAR overturned a Partenopei penalty appeal before the discontent evolved to rage as a Miguel Gutierrez goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up by Rasmus Hojlund.

After witnessing this from the fringes, Contini let off steam on Instagram, speaking of demanding a more “real” game, less mediated by VAR, On-Field Review, and the overly restrictive on-screen reviews.

Contini, who has lived in Italy since he was three, harked back to old days of Calcio, when football was about “real fights and tackles,” but also “real insults and tackles,” with fans who could follow their team wherever they went.

This scolding analysis, from the goalkeeper who was part of the side that won a Scudetto and a Super Cup, concludes with a somewhat sad conclusion. Expressed in authentic Neapolitan dialect: football today is a “farce,” when it should be “a serious thing.”

GIFN | Max Bradfield