No Major Errors By Referee Matteo Marcenaro In Empoli Vs Inter Milan Serie A Clash

Italian media report referee Matteo Marcenaro did not make any major errors in yesterday afternoon’s Serie A clash between Empoli and Inter Milan.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, commend the official for getting the most significant decisions spot-on, and without the need for VAR to intervene.

The broad theme of yesterday afternoon’s match at the Carlo Castellani was that it was all a bit scrappy. And in some of the finer details, Marcenaro’s officiating reflected that.

Inter got annoyed as the referee when he failed to play the advantage in the first half. Lautaro Martinez was through on goal but the referee blew his whistle to give Inter a free-kick.

Then, Empoli defender Giuseppe Pezzela talked himself into the book after expressing his frustration that Marcenaro had not whistle Lautaro Martinez for a shoulder barge.

The 25-year-old appeared to have a case, as the Inter captain’s challenge looked like a fairly clear foul. Marcenaro seemed intent to treat many situations as 50/50 challenges when perhaps he could have been more decisive.

However, the referee made no key or major errors in the game, the report argues.

Marcenaro Got The Major Decisions Right In Empoli Vs Inter Milan Clash

Marcenaro had a decision to make early on in the match.

A physical challenge by Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni on Emploi striker Niccolo Cambiaghi led to some appeals by the Tuscan side for a penalty to be awarded in their favour.

But Marcenaro immediately waved those appeals away. The referee appeared to have no doubts that it was a fair challenge.

And the Gazzetta fully endorse this decision.

It was, in the newspaper’s view, never a penalty, and Marcenaro got it right.

Then, the official did very well to spot a relatively narrow offside by Inter striker Marcus Thuram who thought he’d scored an opener for the Nerazzurri.

The Frenchman turned in a flick-on by midfielder Davide Frattesi. But at the moment that Frattesi touched the ball, Thuram was past the last Empoli defender.

The VAR did check Marcenaro’s decision.

But it was not a drawn-out check that left the players and fans in confusion. The official got it right immediately, and the match moved along swiftly.