Referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande has received praise for the way that he handled yesterday evening’s Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Benfica.
Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, particularly commend the fact that the Spanish official got two major decisions in each of the penalty areas, both involving Lautaro Martinez, correct in the newspaper’s view.
After English referee Michael Oliver had been given credit for the decision to award Inter a handball penalty in the first leg between Inter and Benfica in Lisbon, a decision made with the advice of the VAR, Del Cerro Grande had two major decisions to make in the second leg.
The first was to disallow a goal by Inter striker Martinez in the first half.
The 25-year-old may have briefly thought that he had doubled the Nerazzurri’s advantage on the night, and given them a 4-0 lead on aggregate, but it was quickly made evident that this was not to be the case, as Del Cerro Grande immediately whistled for a foul.
Martinez had appeared to have given Benfica right-back Gilberto a push in order to get a free header to put the ball in the back of the nest, and this was the view of Del Cerro Grande who saw enough contact for a foul and to disallow the goal.
The Gazzetta share this view, and also give credit to the Spaniard for very quickly spotting the infringement and getting play started right back up.
Then, in the second half, Martinez was involved at the other end, as he made what looked like a potentially late challenge on Benfica midfielder Fredrik Aursnes in the box.
Benfica players appealed for a penalty, but Del Cerro Grande did not award one.
In the view of the Gazzetta, the official once against arrived at the right decision, as whilst there was contact by Martinez on the Benfica player, it was not enough to be considered a foul.
