An Italian media outlet has criticized referee Michael Oliver for his officiating during the Champions League encounter between Real Sociedad and Inter Milan.
The Nerazzurri have been enjoying a perfect domestic run, but kicked off their European campaign with a 1-1 draw on Spanish soil.
Brais Mendez broke the deadlock for the home side in the fourth minute. The Spaniards had a host of chances to double their lead.
But eventually, a late uprise from the Italians saw them snatch an equalizer through Lautaro Martinez.
But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via FcInterNews, the match official’s performance left much to be desired.
La Gazzetta Dello Sport Criticized Some Of Michael Oliver’s Calls In Real Sociedad Vs Inter Milan UCL Clash
As the source explains, Oliver made a mistake by showing Nicolo Barella a straight red card. The Englishman thought that the Italy star kicked his opponent in the groin.
Luckily for Inter, VAR asked Oliver to review the incident. Replays clearly showed that Barella was only trying to release his foot while his opponent was tangling it with both legs. The decision was overturned.
The report also comments on other incidents, claiming Mendez deserved a yellow card after grabbing Barella by the neck.
On the other hand, Oliver had it right on the first goal. Mendez cleanly dispossessed Alessandro Bastoni before putting his shot past Yann Sommer. As the source explains, the Inter defender didn’t even claim a foul.
In the end, the Pink newspaper gave the English referee a rating of 6/10.
