Antonio Conte was absolutely furious following Napoli’s 1-1 draw against Inter Milan at the San Siro on Sunday.
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Despite his side staying at the top of Serie A, the Italian manager lashed out after a controversial penalty decision. With Napoli leading thanks to Scott McTominay’s opening goal, Hakan Calhanoglu had the opportunity to equalize with a penalty in the 74th minute, which he unfortunately missed, hitting the post.
However, Conte was not just upset about the missed penalty; he was infuriated by the fact that VAR (Video Assistant Referee) failed to intervene in what he believed was an incorrect decision. The referee had awarded the penalty after Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa fouled Denzel Dumfries, but Conte felt this was a clear mistake. VAR did not step in, as the officials deemed it “no clear and obvious error.”
In a fiery post-match interview with DAZN, Conte vented his frustration, asking: “What does it mean that VAR cannot intervene? It only steps in when it’s convenient. If there’s an error, VAR should be used to correct it. These types of decisions can change the entire course of a match.”
He continued, “This situation really irritates me, and I know it frustrates every coach. VAR should be used to correct obvious mistakes, or at least to intervene when something is missed. We can’t help but wonder if there are ulterior motives at play.”
Conte’s fury was compounded by his belief that the referee should have reviewed the decision on the pitch-side monitor before confirming it. He emphasized that if the referee had seen the incident again and still upheld the decision, he would have accepted it, but without that review, his frustrations remained high.
Adding to his comments in the post-match press conference, Conte insisted that if there’s an obvious error, VAR should step in. “Using VAR this way only feeds conspiracy theories and negative thoughts,” he said. “I don’t want to start thinking like that, but when clear mistakes aren’t corrected, it’s hard not to.”
Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s manager Simone Inzaghi chose to stay out of the debate, saying he had nothing further to add and that referees, like everyone else, can make mistakes. He reminded everyone that it’s important to support the referees and help them when necessary.
Despite the controversy, Napoli remains in pole position at the top of Serie A, though they now only hold a narrow one-point lead over four teams, including Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter, and Lazio. Juventus is just one point behind this group, making the title race even more intense.