September 10: Inter Comeback Sparks Controversy; Marelli Says VAR Requires Clear Evidence, Lautaro Could Have Been Sent Off

At 00:00 on September 6 at the Meazza Stadium in Serie A Matchday 3, Inter trailed Napoli 0-2. In the 56th minute, Dimarco delivered a cross from the left, and Lautaro Martinez scored with a close-range finish to make it 1-2.

Once that goal went in, the entire stadium changed from frustration to excitement, and the comeback script began to be written from that moment.

In the 50th minute of the second half, Politano scored from a rebound, and in the 53rd minute Hojlund cut inside and fired a low shot, with Napoli scoring twice in three minutes.

Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez had previously denied clear chances from Anguissa and Politano, but the two moments of losing possession in the back and leaving defensive gaps were very costly.

In the 82nd minute, Augusto crossed from the left and Marcus Thuram headed in to make it 2-2. In the 91st minute, Akanji's pass in a scramble set up Lautaro's sliding finish, completing a 3-2 stoppage-time winner.

These two goals from Lautaro were not ordinary goals. After this match, his total Serie A goals for Inter reached 134, surpassing Nyers' 133 and moving him to third on the club's all-time Serie A scoring list. Only Lorenzi with 138 and Meazza with 198 are ahead of him.

The captain was carrying a yellow card and facing Napoli's intense pressing, yet he still scored twice. This ability to solve difficult situations is exactly why Inter have confidence against strong opponents.

After the match, refereeing controversies became even louder than the scoreline. DAZN referee expert and former Serie A referee Marelli discussed Lobotka's possible handball in the penalty area during the 0-0 stage, saying that from the front view and all replay angles, the ball's rotation and trajectory did not show clear changes, so it could not be confirmed 100 percent that it touched the hand. Therefore, VAR not intervening and not awarding a penalty was correct; there must be clear evidence rather than speculation.

The point of disagreement for Inter fans is this: a suspected handball should be reviewed to find evidence, while using the lack of clear evidence as a reason not to review it seems like reaching a conclusion first and then finding justification. Barella even pulled out of a challenge because of a suspected handball at the time, and not reviewing a situation that affected players' actions made fans even more frustrated.

Another part of Marelli's comments drew more criticism. Lautaro first received a yellow card for a protest gesture, and about two minutes later he made contact with Rafa Marin while contesting position, with his left arm involved.

Marelli believed the ball was closer to Marin, Lautaro had no space to challenge, and the arm movement was outside a normal football action, meaning he should have received a second yellow and a red card. Referee Sozza did not show the card at the time.

However, in the same match there was contact between Rrahmani and Pio, and Marelli said the players were pulling each other and that the foul call was too strict. Having two different standards for physical contact in the same match naturally caused anger among fans.

This is not to say Lautaro should definitely have avoided punishment. The criticism is that the referee expert was stricter toward Inter's actions and more lenient toward the opponent's physical contact, and this selective interpretation of the rules hurts credibility.

The 3-2 win and opening three-match winning streak are real points on the table, and Inter's first Serie A comeback against Napoli from a two-goal deficit is also a real record. If VAR and yellow-card controversies are not clarified, the same debates will continue to be raised in future major matches against Juventus, Roma and Milan.

Do you think Marelli's assessment of not intervening on Lobotka's incident and giving Lautaro a second yellow was purely based on the rules or was it inconsistent? Share your honest opinion in the comments.

The above content is purely personal opinion for reference only and does not constitute any match conclusion or investment advice.