Former Serie A referee Luca Marelli has criticised Michael Fabbri for his failure to send off Hellas Verona’s Isak Hien in their 1-0 defeat to Inter yesterday.
The Nerazzurri ran out winners courtesy of an early Lautaro Martinez goal in the Serie A match at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but were left frustrated after Fabbri opted against showing Hien a second yellow card for bringing down Edin Dzeko, having already been booked.
Appearing on Italian television broadcaster DAZN yesterday, and as reported by FCInter1908.it, Marelli felt that Fabbri was correct not to award a penalty for an alleged handball by Hien, but that the Swedish defender ought to have been dismissed in the second half.
Marelli also argued that a disallowed Martinez goal was right to be chalked off, as the Argentina international had fouled Pawel Dawidowicz before applying his finish.
“He did not shine this evening. The first episode was Mkhitaryan’s shot deflected by Hien with his arm. I did not expect the penalty kick because of the particular dynamic of this episode,” Marelli claimed.
“Hien brings his arm towards his body, so there is no arm movement towards the ball. In this case the defender’s gesture is, in quotes, ‘rewarded’. In my opinion it is correct not to award the penalty kick, even if it can be interpreted.
“The second episode is the second goal ruled out for Lautaro. VAR did not intervene because the Inter player used his arms excessively, in my opinion the decision to disallow the goal was correct.
“Hien is the protagonist of the third episode and this is a very serious mistake on Fabbri’s part because it is an obvious, obligatory and easy caution. When a foul is given in this circumstance, the caution is not necessary, but due. Hien, already cautioned, should have been sent off,” he added.
Inter’s victory saw them move level on points with third-place Juventus in the Serie A table.
