Ex-Referee Paolo Casarin: “Clear Penalty On Inter’s Lautaro Martinez By Hellas Verona’s Martin Hongla”

Former Serie A referee Paolo Casarin believes that Inter should have been awarded a penalty during Friday’s match against Hellas Verona.

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Corriere della Sera in an interview published in today’s print edition, the former official gave his view that a tackle by Verona midfielder Martin Hongla on Nerazzurri striker Lautaro Martinez which went unpunished, should instead have been called as a foul in the penalty area.

Occurring midway through the second half when the score of the match was still 1-1, Hongla’s challenge looked to have knocked Martinez off balance without getting a touch on the ball, although during the match the tackle was adjudged to be shoulder-to-shoulder and VAR did not intervene.

In the end the Nerazzurri found a way to make the match 3-1 and take home the three points without the penalty, but had the score stayed level at full-time the incident could have been the source of controversy.

“Clear penalty for a foul by Hongla on Lautaro,” opined the former referee, “[Referee Gianluca] Manganiello seemed unable to see it, VAR did not intervene.”