Former Inter Director Ernesto Paolillo feels that Juventus players were looking to win a penalty no matter what in their Serie A match against Inter on Sunday evening.
Speaking to Italian news outlet L’Interista, he gave the view that the Bianconeri were taking every opportunity to try and convince referee Massimiliano Irrati to point to the spot.
The Nerazzurri took the lead during the closing stages of a chaotic first half from a penalty, awarded by VAR for a foul by Alvaro Morata on Denzel Dumfries.
During the second half in particular, the Bianconeri appeared to have felt that they could have gotten a penalty of their own, particularly in an instance where Alessandro Bastoni went in with a very heavy challenge on Denis Zakaria right on the edge of the box.
In the dying moments of the match as well, Juventus players were appealing for penalties from what appeared to be very little contact, and Paolillo felt that this was all deliberate.
“This situation is expected,” he said of the officiating controversy, “it’s part of the history of the rivalry. But after many replays and after they analyzed every frame on the incidents, it’s clear that the referee made the right decisions.”
“It’s clear that everyone is just speculating based on what they thing, and also that Juventus were trying to win a penalty at all costs at the end,” he added.
