Italian Journalist Argues Napoli Coach’s Comments On VAR After Inter Clash Hypocritical: ‘Where Was He After Empoli?’

Fabrizio Biasin feels Napoli coach Antonio Conte was hypocritical for his post-Inter rant on VAR after being silent after his team’s win over Empoli.

Biasin spoke on Italian broadcaster SportMediaset, via FCInter1908. He reacted to the Partenopei coach’s angry comments regarding the penalty given to Inter yesterday evening.

Napoli coach Conte was furious in his post-match remarks after yesterday’s Serie A draw with Inter.

The reason for the Partenopei coach’s ire was the penalty that Inter were awarded in the second half.

Referee Maurizio Mariani pointed to the spot after a challenge by midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa on wingback Denzel Dumfries in the penalty area.

There was no question that there was some contact between the two players.

However, the question was whether the contact was heavy enough to warrant giving a foul and a penalty.

In the view of Napoli coach Conte, that was not the case. He fumed that VAR should have intervened to rule out the penalty.

Biasin Blasts Conte VAR Hypocrisy: “Where Was He After Empoli?”

Soft penalty decisions are not exactly uncommon in football, though.

Ultimately, referees have to make decisions in situations where there is some contact but not exactly a clear-cut foul.

Earlier this season, Napoli got a penalty for a foul by Empoli midfielder Tino Anjorin on winger Matteo Politano.

It was certainly a clumsy challenge by Anjorin. But at the same time, it did not look to be something that Politano couldn’t have stayed on his feet for.

But the referee saw it as enough to point to the spot on that occasion as well. And VAR did not intervene or recommend that the official have a second look at the incident.

And in that instance, the penalty was enough for Napoli to win 1-0 in a tough away fixture.

Italian journalist Biasin said that “I agree with Conte that the protocol should be reviewed.”

“And that they should go to the monitor more to make decisions.”

“But it would be silly for me to say what he said after the Inter Napoli match, but not a word after Empoli.”

“In that match, only the Empoli Sporting Director had anything to say about it,” Biasin noted.

“So you want to start a discussion? Why not start it in Empoli?” he noted sarcastically.