Goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano feels that the Cagliari equalizer against Inter Milan standing was a terrible refereeing error.
The veteran keeper spoke to TVPlay, via FCInterNews. He hit out at the decision not to disallow the goal for an attacking handball by striker Gianluca Lapadula.
Cagliari came back from a goal down twice to secure a point against Inter on Sunday.
That draw at the San Siro could prove to be vital for the Rossoblu’s hopes of Serie A survival.
However, the second equalizer that Cagliari scored was not without controversy.
There was no problem with the strike by midfielder Nicolas Viola. However, there was an evident handball by striker Gainluca Lapadula as he played Viola in.
The 34-year-old former AC Milan and Benevento striker’s arm made clear contact with the ball whilst he tussled with Inter defender Francesco Acerbi.
And it looked unlikely that Lapadula would have had control of the ball were it not for that touch.
Viviano: Cagliari Equalizer Vs Inter “One Of The Worst Refereeing Mistakes I’ve Seen”
Referee Francesco Fourneau and his VAR team did review the goal, including the handball in the buildup.
However, evidently the officials did not deem Lapadula handling the ball to be a deliberate action.
Therefore, the referee allowed the goal to stand.
But in the view of former Inter keeper Viviano, this was an absolutely blatant error by the officials.
“That goal is ridiculous,” the 38-year-old said of Cagliari’s second equalizer.
“Not disallowing that is one of the worst refereeing mistakes I’ve ever seen.”
Viviano noted that “I’ve seen penalties given for touches of the hand where they analyze it down to the last centimetre, on shots that were going fourteen metres wide.”
“And here a striker uses his elbow to assist a goal – and nobody thinks it’s worth looking at?” Viviano said of the Cagliari goal.
“You really have to laugh at it,” was the former Italy keeper’s verdict.
