Controversial arbitration decisions leave Inter furious after derby loss.

Tension was high in the Derby della Madonnina, where AC Milan triumphed over Inter Milan with a goal from Pervis Estupinan, securing a victory that was not only crucial in the title race but also mired in controversy. After the final whistle, Inter players and coaching staff voiced their frustrations against the decisions made by referee Daniele Doveri, creating a wave of discontent that is set to reverberate in the coming weeks.

The match, which ended 1-0 in favor of the rossoneri, marked Inter’s second defeat to their rivals this season, extending their losing streak to seven consecutive games. Despite the misfortunes, the team led by Cristian Chivu maintains a seven-point lead over Milan in the standings, with only ten matches remaining until the end of the league. However, that advantage was overshadowed by questionable officiating decisions that left the nerazzurri outraged.

In the heart of the controversy was an alleged handball by Samuele Ricci in the last minute of the game, which left the Inter players in a state of uproar. The ball touched Ricci’s arm after a deflection from Denzel Dumfries, but the referee deemed the position of the arm to be natural and that Ricci’s attempt to avoid handling the ball was instinctive. Doveri decided that the incident did not warrant a penalty, a decision that infuriated the Inter team. Chivu, although frustrated, commented: “I was told that VAR reviewed the situation, so I have nothing to add. I am focused on the performance, on my decisions, on my mistakes. We have 10 games ahead, 30 points to play for, so we have to build on what we have done so far.”

In addition to the penalty appeal, Inter’s frustration also extended to the duration of stoppage time, which was only six minutes. Chivu’s assistant, Aleksandar Kolarov, expressed his dissatisfaction, feeling that the time did not reflect the intensity and interruptions of the match. To make matters worse, before the handball appeal, Carlos Augusto found the back of the net from a corner kick, but the referee had already stopped play to calm a pushing incident occurring in the area.

The criticism of the refereeing did not stop there. Corriere dello Sport pointed out that Doveri could have shown additional yellow cards during the match, including to Estupinan, Adrien Rabiot, and Fikayo Tomori, for fouls that went unnoticed. With the atmosphere tense and emotions running high, the Nerazzurri now need to focus on regaining their concentration as they prepare for the upcoming challenges, trying to put the controversies behind them and turn their fortunes around in the coming Serie A matches. Inter’s future depends not only on their skills on the pitch but also on their ability to overcome external adversities that threaten to destabilize the team.