Former Juventus and Roma midfielder Zbigniew Boniek feels no doubt that the challenge for Inter’s penalty against the Bianconeri yesterday evening was a clear foul.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Radio Anch’oo Lo Sport, the Pole also lamented the ease with which some players go to ground in the modern game.
Inter’s clash with Juventus saw a number of players appealing for fouls, free kicks, and penalties, and in the end was decided by a spot kick that went the way of the Nerazzurri, for a foul by Alvaro Morata on Denzel Dumfries.
The Bianconeri had their own appeal when midfielder Denis Zakaria was taken down by Alessandro Bastoni right on the edge of the penalty area, but the referee and VAR adjudged the context to be just outside the area so only awarded a free kick.
In both cases, and throughout the match, players appealed to the referee adamantly, including Bianconeri defender Matthijs de Ligt and striker Dusan Vlahovic making late appeals for penalties under virtually no contact, and this is an aspect of the game that Boniek is not fond of.
“As always in these matches, controversy prevailed,” he said. “What bothers me, in today’s football, is when players who weigh 90 kg feel that one little touch to their face and then they go down theatrically.”
Regarding the Nerazzurri’s penalty he said that “Based on the rules it’s a clear penalty, but I feel that they are whistled a little too soft.”
