Napoli’s Osimhen Denied Penalty Appeal in Barcelona Clash

Napoli faced frustration in their Champions League Round of 16 clash against Barcelona as the penalty appeal from Victor Osimhen was turned down despite clear contact from Pau Cubarsi.

Osimhen Denied A Clear Penalty?

The incident, which occurred with Napoli trailing 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate, raised eyebrows among fans and pundits alike. Osimhen, making a run into the box, went down under a challenge from Cubarsi, who appeared to tread on the Nigerian international’s toes.

The referee’s decision to wave play on and VAR’s quick agreement on the matter left Napoli fans fuming, as they believed a penalty could have levelled the tie at that time. Francesco Calzona, expressing his dismay, stated,

“I cannot understand why the VAR would not intervene on a clear penalty for Napoli in the Champions League.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the penalty incident, Napoli’s night was marred by defensive errors that allowed Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo to give Barcelona a 2-0 lead within a span of 120 seconds.

While Amir Rrahmani pulled one back for Napoli, missed opportunities, including Jesper Lindstrom’s free header wide and Robert Lewandowski’s goal for Barcelona, compounded their woes.

Also Read: UEFA Champions League: Computers will be used to draw teams from next season due to complex format

Napoli Boss Admits on Team’s Disappointing Start To The Game

Reflecting on the performance, Calzona acknowledged Napoli’s shortcomings, admitting,

“We had a very bad start, lost the ball an infinite number of times, and you will pay when you allow so many counter-attacks to a side like this.”

Despite the disappointment, Napoli showed moments of promise, with Mathias Olivera hitting the woodwork late in the game.

However, the contentious penalty decision against Osimhen added to Napoli’s frustration, highlighting the importance of VAR intervention in such crucial moments.