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MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Referee Daniele Doveri at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Referee chiefs agree that Samuele Ricci’s handball in the final minutes of Sunday’s Milan derby was not worthy of a penalty kick as the Italian midfielder didn’t increase the volume of his body, Gazzetta reports.
Referees verdict on Ricci handball incident
Referee Daniele Doveri and VAR made the right decision in not awarding a penalty kick to Inter in the final minutes of Sunday’s derby against Milan after Rossoneri midfielder Ricci touched the ball with his arm inside the box.
As reported by Gazzetta, referee chiefs agree that Ricci’s handball was not a punishable offence.
Ricci did touch the ball with his arm, but the impact occurred while he was in motion, without increasing the volume of his body, and, above all, the act of pulling his arm back reduced the punishability.
Milan’s eventual 1-0 win over their city rivals allowed the Rossoneri to reduce their gap from the top of the table, but Max Allegri’s men still remain seven points below the Nerazzurri with ten Serie A games to go.
ByLorenzo Bettoni
Lorenzo Bettoni is the Editor of Football Italia.
