Controversy erupted after Fiorentina and Juventus locked in a 2-2 draw, with the central debate focusing on a late handball by Joao Mario in the Viola’s penalty area. Referee Marco Colombo waved play on, ruling the contact accidental, but this decision has drawn immediate and unified criticism from Italy’s premier sports publications. The incident occurred after Dragusin’s header was missed by Kolo Muani, causing the ball to bounce between Mario’s legs and strike the underside of his left arm near the elbow. With the score level, the missed call has become the defining narrative of the match, overshadowing the tactical battle on the pitch.
Leading Italian dailies agree Colombo erred on Joao Mario handball, sparking post-match fury.
La Gazzetta dello Sport was unequivocal in its assessment, stating that a penalty should have been awarded without hesitation. The publication argued that the ball’s trajectory from a teammate did not make the contact unexpected, emphasizing that Mario made an additional, active movement with his arm rather than keeping it close to his body. Gazzetta concluded that Colombo was incorrect to continue play, labeling the decision a clear error that denied Juventus a legitimate goal-scoring opportunity in a high-stakes Serie A fixture.
Il Corriere dello Sport aligned with its rival, reconstructing the sequence to highlight Mario’s failure to control his limb. The newspaper noted that the defender had sufficient time to adjust his position, leading to the verdict that it was “more of a penalty than not.” This consensus among the two major dailies underscores the severity of the refereeing mistake, suggesting that the 2-2 result was not just a product of on-field performance but also a pivotal officiating error that could have swung the momentum decisively in favor of the Bianconeri.
Source: Yahoo Sports
