Referee Alessandro Prontera certainly looked to have given Lecce defender Federico Baschirotto the benefit of the doubt when he let him off with just a yellow for his heavy challenge on Inter striker Lautaro Martinez.
This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, who argue that the referee, who was born in Lecce, was generous in deciding not to send Baschirotto off for the tackle.
Inter players immediately appealed for Baschirotto to be sent off for his two-footed tackle on Martinez just after the half-hour mark in yesterday evening’s 2-1 win.
After thinking about it, referee Prontera decided against a straight red card for the 25-year-old and instead brandished his yellow card.
In the view of La Repubblica, however, the decision was a very lenient one considering the force of the tackle, and set the tone for a very physical contest which allowed the hosts to keep the Nerazzurri from finding a rhythm for long spells.