Atalanta's Director of Sport, Luca Percassi, voiced strong protests over what he called "two unjustifiable refereeing errors" after their dramatic Coppa Italia semi-final loss to Lazio. The match, which ended in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, saw Atalanta's hopes dashed by controversial officiating decisions, notably a disallowed goal that could have changed the outcome.
Frustration Over Disallowed Goal
In a match filled with tension, Atalanta's frustration grew after two of their goals were ruled out by VAR. The first controversial decision involved Nikola Krstovic's alleged foul on Lazio's Edoardo Motta, and the second was a marginal offside against Davide Zappacosta. Despite these setbacks, Atalanta fought hard to equalize twice, with Mario Pasalic scoring in the early minutes of the match to level the score.
However, the most contentious moment came when a goal by Ederson was disallowed following a sequence of events where Lazio's Mario Gila appeared to handle the ball with his arm, leading to Krstovic's challenge. Percassi was quick to express his dissatisfaction, stating, “It’s a real pity because we were fully deserving of qualification, and this key incident had a big impact on the game.”
Atalanta’s Ongoing Struggles Against Lazio
The disallowed goal was not the only grievance for Atalanta fans. Percassi pointed out that their club had suffered a similar fate in the 2019 final when they lost to Lazio, adding to the emotional weight of the defeat. "It’s not just about this incident, but we still carry the wound from the final loss in 2019," Percassi remarked. He emphasized the significant role refereeing decisions played in the result, stating that "an error of this kind is not justifiable when so much is at stake."
Controversial Handball Appeals and Referee Accountability
As the match unfolded, the refereeing decisions continued to spark controversy. In another similar moment, Lazio had a penalty appeal for a Giorgio Scalvini handball, but the referee handled it in the same way as the earlier handball incident involving Gila. Percassi questioned the fairness of the decisions, especially considering the technology and resources available to the referees.
“We have so many instruments at the disposal of the referees, and it’s difficult to understand how such obvious errors could occur in such an important match," Percassi concluded, clearly frustrated by the outcome.
With Lazio advancing to the final and Atalanta eliminated, the protests surrounding the refereeing decisions are likely to continue, as fans and management alike demand greater accountability in officiating during key matches.
