Article by Aurelian Botezatu – Published on Sunday, 26 October 2025, 07:30 / Updated on Sunday, 26 October 2025 07:30
Inter lost 3-1 at Napoli and Nerazzurri president Giuseppe Marotta blamed Mariani's refereeing.
Inter's disaster in Naples began with the controversial penalty awarded by “central” Mariani to the Italian champions, after contact between Mkhitaryan and Di Lorenzo. In the end, Marotta said that “the penalty in the first half directed the match. The penalty was decisive and it was flagged by the assistant. I think such a dynamic would have required the intervention of VAR”.
Statement to which Antonio Conte, the coach of the Neapolitans, responded harshly, hitting Chivu: “The difference between Napoli and the other teams is that they send their top managers to talk. A big team has to understand why they lost. That way they create alibis for the players and the whole environment. I think it's totally harmful. As a coach, I would never have allowed a manager of mine to do that“.
Cristi Chivu leaves everything up to the club, according to Antonio Conte's statements
Confronted at the press conference with what Conte had said, Cristi Chivu pointed out that the club can do what it sees fit and that he is not interested in personal reputation.
“The club has the right to do what it thinks is right. As a coach, I will never come here to complain, for consistency's sake, because I have a different dignity and approach than many are used to.
I don't care about my reputation or bragging about how good I am; players just need to focus on the game. I'm trying to change things, but for now I'm fighting alone. We are always used to crying and complaining and we have to evolve. As long as I'm here, I'll do this; I don't care what other people think about me.”
Gazzetta dello Sport's verdict on the penalty awarded to Napoli: “It was a wrong decision”
Regarding the penalty awarded to Napoli in the 33rd minute and the performance of the referee, Gazzetta dello Sport, the most important profile daily in the Peninsula, wrote that the decision of the “central” Mariani was wrong and gave it a 4.
Gazzetta: “On the first penalty, the decision to award it was wrong, on the second, real one (no – the one awarded to Inter with VAR, at the score of 0-2), I didn't see it. He refereed with a delayed reaction, probably tired after officiating at the U20 World Cup“.
