Di Carlo: Refs always favour Inter Sunday 20 January, 2008
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Parma Coach Mimmo Di Carlo was furious with the referee for a series of controversial calls. “As usual, Inter needed help to win.”
Inter were losing on 88 minutes, but Fernando Couto was sent off and conceded a penalty for a debatable handling offence and they went on to win 3-2 in stoppages.
“I won’t judge Couto and whether it was a penalty or not, but in the first half we had a clear penalty denied on Bernardo Corradi. I don’t want to criticise the referee or teach him his job, but once again we put in a great performance and came away empty-handed.
“Refereeing designator Pierluigi Collina met with us a month ago and told us handball only counts if it is a voluntary gesture, but this clearly was not. Even if they gave the spot-kick, the red card was out of the question.”
Di Carlo was livid at the final whistle and was dismissed for dissent, but had calmed down later.
“Fair play means carrying on even when things go against you and I admit I didn’t do that very well at the end of this match.
“We prepared this game well and I knew the players were in good shape. Unfortunately, incidents tend to go in favour of the big clubs and the evidence is clear. Last week Giulio Falcone was elbowed and forced off the field, tonight we had three players taken out.
“It is a shame, but we were on a par with Inter in terms of everything and go home empty-handed.”
Parma ended the match with Couto sent off and Daniele Dessena on the sidelines, so Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s winner came at the last moment.
“We were playing with nine men and Dessena had also been taken out with a knee injury, we hope it’s not serious, so there was little we could do at that point. It was unfair, compliments to Inter, but as usual they needed help to win.
“We knew they would have problems down the flanks with their rhombus midfield. The lads did what we had planned tactically, but did not take all our chances.”
The 'guilty party’ Couto came out after the match to explain exactly what happened in that infamous incident.
“I got the ball with my head and as it went past it glanced against my hand, but it was barely any contact and certainly not intentional,” said the defender.
“I don’t think it was going in, I headed the ball towards the byline. I was diving to get to it and so my arm went up inevitably.
“I tell the truth, I got a slight touch off my hand, but it was a ricochet and absolutely not on purpose.”
-Channel 4
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So true,Di Carlo.