Aleksander Ceferin missed an opportunity to put it on the back burner. Interviewed in October by the transalpine media LaPresse, the boss of UEFA had clearly gone beyond his duty of neutrality by declaring that “Italy must qualify for the 2024 European Championship, otherwise it would be a disaster”. Because since then, if there has been no disaster, with the qualification of the Squadra Azzurra at the end of the draw (0-0) obtained by Luciano Spaletti’s men against Ukraine, Monday, in Leverkusen, we cannot say the same about the arbitration controversy. Even scandal, if we place ourselves on the side of the Ukrainians.
Indeed, in added time, the Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano possibly forgot (it’s all a question of interpretation) to grant a penalty to Ukraine after what looks a lot like a foul by Cristante on Mudryk in the surface. What is of concern, beyond the Spaniard’s decision, taken in the heat of the moment, is the non-intervention of the VAR, the referees behind the screens therefore not having noted a manifest error of the part of their counterpart on the ground. Because contact does exist.
The Italian press embarrassed by this decision
Questioned at a press conference, Sergei Rebrov, the coach of the Blues and Yellows, however remained very sober and classy. “For me, it was a penalty, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. But I wasn’t there [dans la surface de réparation] and this is just my feeling. » As for the transalpine press, if some have tried to explain the judges’ decision by a hypothetical amplification of the fall by the Chelsea striker, the Corriere Dello Sportthe leading sports daily in Italy, was more suspicious.
In today’s editorial, our colleagues don’t beat around the bush. “The only way to move forward is to move on. But it’s less beautiful that way. We must be honest, and avoid listing the numerous refereeing errors which, in the past, have deprived us of success, titles and damaged our livers: in the last seconds, the referee Gil Manzano pretended not to not see the penalty which would have allowed Ukraine to take advantage of a great opportunity. The VAR assistant had fled to the toilet for a moment (inflamed prostate, I imagine). In short, it didn’t go well, but it went very well. » A clear-cut opinion which will not do justice to the Ukrainians, but which has the merit of honesty.