Inter, Thuram denied a penalty: Mariani points to the spot, then changes his mind. Marelli: “The standard is fine, but these errors need to be corrected”
Furious protests in the 68th minute of Inter-Fiorentina
Alex Jimenez's incredible goal puts Inter 1-0 down in the 65th minute. In the 68th, Inter players protest furiously over referee Mariani's handling of an incident in Fiorentina's penalty area.
After beating Brazilian defender Viery, Inter forward Markus Thuram falls in the box and appeals for what looks like a clear penalty. Mariani initially appears to award it, then changes his mind. What happened, and what should the decision have been?
The move
Inter trail 1-0 after Jimenez's shot from the edge of the area catches both Bastoni and Provedel by surprise. They try to raise the tempo and pile on the pressure. As the ball moves from left to right, Thuram controls it inside the area near the right-hand corner of the penalty area, with Viery facing him.
The French forward runs at the Fiorentina defender, shifts the ball and invites a challenge that misses the ball entirely and catches Thuram squarely on the leg, sending him to the ground in the area.
At first, Mariani appears to point to the spot, but he changes his mind and gestures clearly to indicate that "there's nothing in it". VAR official Fabbri, in Lissone, could intervene but sticks with the referee's approach. No penalty follows.
The analysis from Marelli and Stramaccioni
Despite what looks a clear penalty, play resumes. In the Dazn studio, former manager Andrea Stramaccioni and then replay analyst and former referee Luca Marelli both call it a clear error.
Stramaccioni says: "This is a foul in the penalty area, in midfield and in defence. It is always a foul."
Marelli: "It is a problem that will need to be addressed. I understand the high line, I understand the high bar, but this is a clear penalty. Thuram got there first, Viery extended his right leg towards his opponent, there was contact... he may have exaggerated it, but the penalty should have been awarded in these circumstances and VAR should have intervened because it was an oversight by Mariani.
