Inter defeat Fiorentina 2-1 amid refereeing controversy

Inter Milan secured a 2-1 victory against Fiorentina on Monday night, but the match was marred by a controversial decision. Inter coach Simone Inzaghi admitted that the ball had gone out of play before the corner kick that led to Inter’s opening goal.

The game saw an own goal from Fiorentina’s Marin Pongracic, followed by an equalizer from Rolando Mandragora via a penalty. Marko Arnautovic scored the winning goal for Inter early in the second half.

At the post-match press conference, Inzaghi addressed the contentious corner kick: “I understand Fiorentina’s frustration. The ball was indeed out of bounds. However, VAR cannot intervene in such situations.” He added that he had experienced similar frustration in a previous match against Leverkusen.

Inzaghi also disputed the penalty awarded to Fiorentina for a handball by Matteo Darmian. “I’ve reviewed the incident, and in my opinion, it should never have been given,” he stated. “The ball struck Darmian from very close range, yet VAR chose to intervene in this case.”

The Inter coach expressed his view that refereeing decisions have been inconsistent, mentioning a recent derby match where he believed his team was denied a legitimate penalty claim.

This latest controversy has reignited debates about the use of VAR in Serie A and the consistency of refereeing decisions in crucial moments of matches.