There was no handball by Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella in the penalty area during the first half of yesterday’s Serie A win over Sassuolo.
This according to to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, who argue that referee Simone Sozza got the situation correct, and also that there were no offside issues with the Neroverdi’s temporary equalizer in the second half.
Sassuolo players made some halfhearted appeals to Sozza for a possible handball by Barella early on in yesterday’s match.
However, the official did not see any handball by the Nerazzurri midfielder, and the Corriere approve of this decision as the ball only appeared to strike the 25-year-old’s face.
Meanwhile, there was some uncertainty about possible offsides in Sassuolo’s equalizer, with some Neroverdi players appearing to be close to being past the last defender.
However, the Corriere praise Sozza and the VAR for quickly getting on with the check and confirming that no Sassuolo players were offside when Rogerio put the cross in.
