Cesari on Inter-Napoli: “Penalty on Lobotka absolutely punishable, but Sozza couldn’t see it”

The refereeing incidents from Inter–Napoli continue to spark debate. Graziano Cesari, from the Pressing studios on Mediaset, analyzed the most controversial moments of the match, focusing in particular on two situations in the Neapolitan penalty area.

The former referee first addressed the tussle between Rrahmani and Pio Esposito: “Mutual holding, blatant, repeated between Rrahmani and Pio Esposito. In this new era, a penalty has never been awarded for something like this, so we immediately dismiss it.”

His judgment was harsher regarding Lobotka’s handball at minute 48:20: “The first thing to check is whether Lobotka’s right arm is in a natural position or if it moves up towards the ball, whether it’s punishable or not. There aren’t many images, just 5, and that’s very strange. Absolutely punishable, the arm goes up and towards the ball. The ball changes direction, stops, and goes backward, and there’s an image that clarifies it. It’s not Sozza’s fault, he couldn’t see it.”

Cesari finally commented on an incident involving Lautaro Martinez: “Lautaro’s protest is blatant, I keep saying that in these cases a referee should turn and walk towards the center of the pitch but he doesn’t, because he thinks differently and shows the yellow card. Then he doesn’t notice the subsequent ‘vaffa’ because he’s turned away. What’s not right is what happens a minute later, Lautaro’s deliberate arm swing at Rafa Marin. Sozza wants to blow the whistle, why doesn’t he do it even though he’s in an optimal position? It already happened in Genoa-Napoli.”