Italian journalist Maurizio Pistocchi says there’s a double standard to a penalty being awarded against Inter Milan for a similar incident to one involving AC Milan.
Pistocchi sent out a tweet pointing out similarities between the penalty Fiorentina were awarded yesterday, to the one involving AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan a couple years ago.
There was some penalty controversy in yesterday evening’s Serie A clash between Fiorentina and Inter.
Referee Gianluca Aureliano did not initially point to the spot after Inter keeper Yann Sommer punched the ball clear and then caught Fiorentina striker M’Bala with the follow-through.
However, after the VAR reviewed the incident, Aureliano watched the incident on his monitor.
And the referee decided to give a penalty for the incident.
Even though Sommer had won the ball, the 35-year-old had been reckless in the eyes of the referee.
Pistocchi Compares Inter & AC MIlan Goalkeeper Penalty Incidents
On the other hand, there had been an incident involving Milan keeper Maignan in March of 2022. This took place in a Serie A match away in Cagliari.
Rossoneri keeper Maignan was challenging for the ball with Rossoblu defender Matteo Lovato.
And the Frenchman made contact with the head of the defender. The referee in that instance decided not to award a penalty.
But for Pistocchi, there is a question of consistency in terms of standards and the application of the rules.
“There’s something that doesn’t add up to me,” he writes.
“If the challenge of Maignan on Lovato (he doesn’t take the ball but catches the opposition player) in Cagliari against Milan in March 2022 was judged to be ‘normal game dynamics’ then how is it possible that the one with Sommer on Nzola Fiorentina against Inter (He gets the ball, then the man) a penalty?”
“This is the real problem,” Pistocchi argues.
“Different decisions for similar incidents. People don’t understand why. And they rightly get angry.”
C’è qualcosa che non mi quadra : se l’uscita alta di #Maignan su #Lovato ( non prende la palla ma il giocatore avversario) in #CagliariMilan del marzo 2022 era stata giudicata “normale dinamica di gioco” come è possibile che quella di #Sommer su #Nzola ( prende prima la palla,… pic.twitter.com/9C31tcmljd
— Maurizio Pistocchi (@pisto_gol) January 29, 2024