Explained – Why Inter Milan Goal Vs Empoli Not Offside: ‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Italian media have dismissed some social media speculation that Inter Milan’s goal against Empoli was offside.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, address these suggestions, calling the idea “much ado about nothing.”

Inter beat Empoli by a solitary goal on Sunday afternoon.

It was not the most explosive attacking performance by a Nerazzurri team who had scored at least two goals in each of their Serie A matches prior, including beating Fiorentina and AC Milan by emphatic four goal margins.

However, one goal was enough to get the job done. Inter also kept their fourth clean sheet of the league campaign.

And the goal that won Inter the match was certainly worthy of deciding any contest.

Nerazzurri wingback Federico Dimarco struck from range at the start of the second half at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

It was a spectacular volley which kept rising until it hit the top corner of the Empoli net. There was little that Empoli keeper Etrit Berisha could do to stop it despite the distance from which it was hit.

Why Inter Milan Goal Vs Empoli Clearly Onside

There have, nevertheless, been some rumblings that Inter’s goal on Sunday ought not have stood.

The reason, some have suggested on social media, is that there was an offside offense.

The Nerazzurri player who was purportedly offside was of course not Dimarco. The entire Empoli team was playing the 25-year-old onside.

Rather, Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni may have been offside.

There was no indication that Bastoni had touched the ball.

However, the 24-year-old could have interfered with Berisha’s line of sight.

According to the Gazzetta, however, that whole idea is “much ado about nothing” and a hollow “controversy” on social media.

There was no reason to think that Berisha couldn’t track the flight of the ball, the newspaper suggests. But the strike simply had too much power and accuracy for the Albanian to do anything about.

And in any event, the Gazzetta argue, Bastoni may not even have been in an offside position.

Empoli defender Tyronne Ebuehi looked to have potentially been playing the Inter defender on.

Therefore, the Gazzetta suggest, there is nothing to complain about for Empoli. The match officials did well to award the goal and not dwell on any nonexistent offside offense.