Former Lazio, Juventus, and West Ham United striker Paolo Di Canio feels that Inter were denied a clear penalty in the form of a handball by Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane yesterday evening.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, Di Canio expressed great surprise that the incident did not result in a penalty being awarded given that the Bayern forward appeared to clearly handle the ball.
The decision not to award Inter a penalty for Mane’s handball came on the basis that the Sengalese forward was determined to have been protecting his face, and therefore the movement of his arms was seen as a purely reflexive one.
However, there is little doubt that the 30-year-old made a significant movement to raise his arms up and away from his body, and that this was significant in blocking Nicolo Barella’s shot on goal.
For Di Canio’s part, the former forward feels that there was absolutely no doubt and that the official got it wrong in deciding not to point to the spot after the incident.
“For me it is a penalty every day of the week,” the former striker said.
“His arms are out, I don’t think that he would have taken the ball to the face although perhaps it would have deflected into the goal off of him.”
Di Canio expressed no doubt, stating that “It’s a penalty as clear as day, if a player has to take a ball to the face than they take it. We are playing football here.”
