Italian journalist Paolo Condo believes that Inter were fortunate to have avoided going down to ten men in yesterday’s win against Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, the journalist gave his view that Nerazzurri captain Samir Handanovic should have been sent off for his collision with Neroverdi forward Gregoire Defrel at the end of the first half.
Late in the first half of the match, Defrel latched onto an underhit backpass by Inter defender Stefan de Vrij and found himself through on goal with only Handanovic to beat, and poked it past the keeper.
The keeper appeared to try to avoid contact with Defrel, but there also appeared to be a coming together with the Sassuolo man going to ground and immediately appealing for the foul to be given for what would have likely been a red with Handanovic the last man.
However, referee Luca Pairetto did not see it as a foul by the Inter man and waved play on rather than giving the foul.
Condo believes that this was the wrong decision, stating that “There was a refereeing error, Handanovic had to be sent off.
“In a one-on-one Handanovic can only put the attacker off without touching him. He is good, he disturbs and then pulls out. But when he pulls out he hits him with his elbow, for this reason for me it is a red card.”
Condo also spoke about the situation of Denzel Dumfries as a replacement for Achraf Hakimi, stating that “Inter are trying to remedy the departure of Hakimi and Lukaku.
“As far as numbers go, in attack they are succeeding, but for example Dumfries is still very far from Hakimi.”
