Phantom goals, Muntari backs down

While waiting to finish if and how the 2019-2020 championship will end, AC Milan is the last Italian team that can boast of having had the Scudetto on its chest before the beginning of Juventus’ epic of triumphs.

That was the 2011-2012 season, at the end of which the Bianconeri coached by Antonio Conte returned to the roof of Italy for the first time after the Calciopoli blizzard. The reigning champions Rossoneri had to settle for second place in a year marked by controversy over the goal not awarded to Sulley Muntari in the February 25, 2012, direct clash at San Siro.

The ball had crossed completely over Gigi Buffon’s goal line, but, in the absence of the not-yet-born goal line technology, neither the referee Tagliavento nor the assistant noticed it. The match ended 1-1 and Juve stayed in the running and then operated the overtaking move and flew towards the title.

For Milan fans an open wound and also for Muntari himself, who, however, seems to have less certainty than in the past.

Interviewed by ‘deryderbyderby’, the former midfielder remarked, “Conte’s Juventus was poisoned, they were running incredibly, spitting blood. If my goal had been validated we would have gone 2-0 up and in my opinion we would certainly have won the game, but even winning that night for the Scudetto there would then have been a good fight and I’m not so sure we would have won the title…”.

The consolation of having entered history remains, but not even too much: “You say that my goal-not-goal changed history? I think Var and Goal-Line Technology would have come anyway, but my goal sped everything up.”