Scudetto race reopened, but the championship heats up due to refereeing decisions. At San Siro the Nerazzurri protest against Manganiello’s decisions.
The Marotta League does not exist except in the heads of conspiracy theorists and, even if it exists, it does not work well. A week after the fall in the derby, the Nerazzurri also stopped against Atalanta, giving Milan a totally reopened championship sprint in which Allegri has a better schedule than Chivu, more enthusiasm and less risk of finding himself with the short arm.
In the draw snatched by an excellent Atalanta at San Siro there is a lot of the quality of Palladino’s team and a lot of the chaotic end of the match in which the referee Manganiello took two very heavy decisions, both unfavorable to the league leaders. And if on the first, light push behind Dumfries unbalanced on a soaked pitch and ended up on the ground, opening the doors to the goal Krsotvicit can be discussed (but the dynamics reward the referee’s choice) because the intensity is part of the referee’s assessment, the approach to the penalty requested – and not granted – for a kick is different Scalvini to Frattesi.
Clear, evident contact, both on the pitch and at the VAR. Nothing happened. Inter were furious, Chivu had already been sent off for the equalizer and the others protested in vain. A difficult choice to understand, that of Manganiello and Var Gariglio also because it was based on an episode whose dynamics were codified, very similar to that of a last-gasp penalty awarded to Verona in January 2024 and defined as correct by designator Rocchi.
Manganiello’s missed whistles have a major impact on the championship sprint. Now the pressure shifts to Milan, because with the opportunity to get back to minus five they can no longer support Allegri’s communication mantra, who insists on indicating only qualification for the Champions League as the objective. Milan are much closer to Inter than those who occupy fifth place compared to the Rossoneri: it will be a beautiful end to the season, in which the feeling is that the hare is out of breath and the one chasing isn’t.
Inter are bitter, convinced that they have already been damaged in the derby (which is not true) and that they are paying for the climate of hunting for the Marotta League which was unleashed especially after Bastoni’s simulation against Juventus. A feeling impossible to erase coming out of the match against Atalanta which reminded the Nerazzurri fans of the then decisive point lost a year ago due to Ndicka’s missed penalty on Bisseck. Always at San Siro and always in the same penalty area.
