Beppe Marotta after Napoli-Inter Milan: “That penalty changed everything”

Inter Milan’s President questions VAR and assistant referee decisions after a controversial penalty in the 3–1 loss to Napoli

At the end of the match against Napoli, which Inter Milan lost 3–1, Inter Milan president Beppe Marotta spoke about the refereeing episode that, in his view, changed the course of the game.

“This is my contribution to the system and to football as a whole, because even I’m confused and struggling to understand,” Marotta began. “Beyond the fact that Napoli fully deserved their win—especially in the last twenty minutes—the penalty episode was decisive in shifting the balance. It stemmed from the assistant’s call. Sometimes VAR intervenes, sometimes it’s the assistant; in this case, the referee was perfectly positioned and didn’t whistle. Nobody could have seen it better than him, and yet VAR didn’t step in—perhaps it couldn’t—but the images would have clarified everything. From that moment on, the game took a particular turn. That said, Napoli legitimized their victory, and Inter gave their all—credit to the winners.”

“We need clarity: no more ‘soft penalties’”

Marotta then reflected on the incident and the broader confusion around penalty decisions.

“In my opinion, Napoli’s victory mainly originated from that moment. Of course, they then made it 3–1 and deserved the win, but if we think about the dynamics of that penalty, it’s almost a separate discussion,” he said. “I’m referring to what happened on the pitch and to what Rocchi said recently—‘no more soft penalties.’ You can judge for yourselves; most agree it wasn’t a penalty. I’m speaking up to ask for clarity—to understand what exactly constitutes a ‘light’ foul. I believe in the referee’s central role. If an assistant is far from the play, he shouldn’t be so easily influenced.”

When asked about the players’ mindset, Marotta added:

“During halftime, I was there with the team, and it was clear the penalty created confusion. Of course, there was frustration. Maybe Napoli would have won anyway, but I’m referring to the way that episode unfolded—it affected everything.”

Finally, regarding the minor Lautaro–Conte exchange at the final whistle, Marotta chose not to add fuel to the fire:

“I’d rather not comment on that. You see plenty of things like this in football.”

Source: Fcinter1908