Cagliari Coach Admits: ‘Three Years Ago, Equalizer Vs Inter Milan Would’ve Been Disallowed’

Claudio Ranieri admits that under past refereeing guidelines, Cagliari would’ve had their second equalizer against Inter Milan disallowed.

The veteran coach spoke in a press conference ahead of his team’s Serie A match against Juventus, via FCInterNews.

Cagliari took a huge point in their bid to stay in Serie A from the San Siro on Sunday.

The Rossoblu had already beaten Atalanta in their previous match. And they gave themselves further reason for optimism about top flight survival against Inter.

On the balance of play, the result was hardly an undeserved one for Ranieri’s Cagliari team.

The Sardinians went behind twice. But on both occasions they reacted, staying in the match and then striking back to regain parity.

There was, however, more than a hint of controversy regarding Cagliari’s second goal.

Midfielder Nicolas Viola was the scorer of the late goal.

However, it was not Viola’s strike that was the problem – rather, it was an apparent handball by striker Gianluca Lapadula in the buildup.

Ranieri: Cagliari Equalizer Vs Inter Would’ve Been Disallowed Three Years Ago

There was no doubt that former AC Milan and Genoa striker Lapadula made contact with the ball with his arm as he controlled it.

Then, the 34-year-old played in his teammate Viola, who scored.

The goal was reviewed by the VAR, as all goals in Serie A. But evidently the decision was that, even though the handball by Lapadula was clear to see, it was not an intentional attack for the striker to give his team the advantage.

This incident perhaps highlighted some confusion surrounding the attacking handball rule.

In recent seasons, the guidelines have been for referees and VAR to disallow any goal in which there is an attacking handball.

But that was not the case with Lapadula’s handball in the buildup to Cagliari’s goal on Sunday.

The Cagliari coach observed that “If Lapadula had taken a shot and scored, it would have been disallowed.”

“But Nicolas Viola was the one who took the shot,” he continued.

“He didn’t gain an advantage from it.”

“I wonder,” mused former Leicester City coach Ranieri. “If it had been a defender who had handled the ball, would it have been looked at the same way?”