Referees: Controversy Strikes Again; Inter Fans Furious

After the long break for international play, Serie A is back—and so, as expected, is the controversy. This time, Feliciani, who refereed the Napoli-Frosinone match, is in the crosshairs. According to many Inter fans—and others—the referee could have let the incident that broke the deadlock go unpunished.

Rasmus Hojlund did a great job of getting between Giorgio Cittadini and the ball, and the Frosinone defender made contact with the Danish player. The referee awarded a penalty kick, but not everyone on social media was pleased: “Yet another soft penalty for Napoli this season,” commented Giacomo, echoed by Alessandro: “Defenders can’t do anything anymore… what has soccer come to?”

Hojlund took the penalty and was fooled by Palmisani, but the Frosinone goalkeeper’s feet weren’t on the line, so VAR ordered the penalty to be retaken. Kevin De Bruyne stepped up to the spot the second time and broke the deadlock.

After the match, Massimiliano Alvini made no secret of his disappointment over the penalty incident: “Feliciani is having a great season; I don’t want to dwell on the incidents because Napoli deserved to win, but it was definitely a penalty… a soft one, let’s say.”