MILAN - At the end of Inter’s home match against Cagliari, president Massimo Moratti answered questions from journalists regarding the incident that involved Andrea Ranocchia; referee Giacomelli did not whistle when the Nerazzurri defender was fouled in the box by Davide Astori.
Here are the full statements from the president:
Inevitably we have to begin with the refereeing.
"Having been decisive in the result of this game I believe it’s not only inevitable, but I think that on the part of ourselves, everyone else and myself in particular, since I’m the one speaking, that there’s a certain ‘resentment’ due to the fact that it’s the third game in a row in which we found ourselves with a refereeing error going against us, and an attitude during the match that was certainly not favourable to the club and the team. I say the club because I’ve already been through these situations and wouldn’t want to find myself in the same one again after so many years."
Are you beginning to sense a similar climate?
"Of course I'm starting to sense that… it’s the third game… against Juventus we won thanks to God, but certainly not thanks to the referee. Against Atalanta the decisive goal came from a penalty that wasn’t there and the doubt still remains, which the referees don’t seem to mind. Then today’s episode was absolutely absurd. It could be that we have TV commentators who have fun, after their great experience with Juventus, pretending that it wasn’t a penalty. But if this wasn’t a penalty then I don’t know what is. Let them say what they want. I won’t listen to them anymore, nor will any Inter fan. I’m really tired of it, because after three games I’m telling you it’s too much."
President Moratti, you spoke with Andrea Stramaccioni. Did you ask him what the referee said to him, or if you asked for some kind of explanation? Did he respond?
"Well, are we also supposed to go and ask, ‘Could you please tell us why?’ Come on… On the pitch the only thing they said was: you from Inter keep quiet. ‘You’. I want to know who ‘we’ are when referring to Inter. They should tell us who ‘we’ are when they say ‘You from Inter’."
There are 4 points between Juventus in first place and Inter in second. You talked about these three episodes and it’s impossible to forget the refereeing in Catania. Is it right to say that the difference in terms of points comes down to refereeing errors?
"I don’t care, I'm talking about the referees."
Well then, is it correct that the gap in the standings on Inter’s part was created by refereeing errors alone?
"The standings are made up of matches won, drawn and lost. If we want to find this possibility of course, but it’s not that I’m going back to the maths that came out of these mistakes. I’m going back to errors, which have been continuous and steady. This requires at least a bit of attention. I won’t say anymore, but at least some attention is needed from the referees. And from those who direct them. There are no excuses for this, none whatsoever."
Do you regret having taken such a low profile after the matches against Juventus and Atalanta? You had taken a stance…
"But the stance wasn’t a difficult one, simply the normal trust you have, and try to have, with these things. However I have to say that if we then constantly have a situation, consistently with no interruptions... it appears to me that in the decisive matches there are things that no one really regrets. But of course, even today I'm not going to say ‘OK, everything’s fine, we’re happy. What a great job they’re doing’, when they’re not doing a great job in the least."
As far as the assigning went, wouldn’t it be better to have chosen a more experienced referee, perhaps an international rather than a young one?
"No, if certain things have to be done then they’re done by whomever."
