VAR is the villain as controversial penalty call will allow Cristiano Ronaldo to salvage attract in ninetieth moment for Juventus in Coppa Italia semi-last towards AC Milan at the San Siro
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored a controversial late penalty towards AC Milan
- VAR opted to award a contentious handball with the house team top one-
- Milan had been incensed that Davide Calabria was penalised specified how close he was
- Ronaldo built no slip-up and the Coppa Italia semi-last 1st leg ended one-1
It took a controversial very last-moment penalty to spare Juventus’ blushes as Cristiano Ronaldo salvaged a attract in the 1st leg of their Coppa Italia semi-last towards 10-man AC Milan.
Ronaldo cannoned a bicycle kick into the hand of Milan’s Davide Calabria, who was experiencing the other way when the shot was blocked with his hand.
The referee instantly waved off Juventus protests and it was not right up until the intervention of VAR that the recreation turned dominated by a solitary choice.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s bicycle kick was hit into the hand of AC Milan’s Davide Calabria (ideal)

The choice went to VAR and the referee improved his intellect and controversially gave a penalty

Ronaldo built it 11 straight games in which he has scored to rescue a attract for Juventus

The Portuguese acquired a important absent aim in the club’s Coppa Italia semi-last towards AC Milan
Ronaldo converted the penalty with self confidence. That is 35 in 35 for club and state now.
Scoring an absent aim, specified they looked established to reduce, felt enormous for the Italian champions.
‘It’s vital to score an absent aim, but a team like ours are unable to just be content to allow Milan an opener and place the recreation in question,’ Leonardo Bonucci advised Rai Activity immediately after the attract.
‘We have to get again in shape, everyone needs to stage up and do extra. It wasn’t a terrible functionality, but Milan pressed high and at this second we need to do extra, mainly because what we are carrying out all through the week is not enough.

Ante Rebic had earlier volleyed Milan in entrance and they had been the much better aspect on the night time

Milan have enhanced due to the fact Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s arrival and are enjoying with a self confidence

Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri was experiencing the prospect of again to again defeats immediately after the opener
But there had been a lot in red and black that felt furious the choice, along with the second half sending off for Theo Hernandez, was built specified the referee was to begin with adamant it was not a deliberate handball.
Calabria was experiencing the crosser on the ideal and as the ball went about his head, he was unaware Ronaldo was to strike from a lawn or two powering him.
He did not see the strike, could not have moved out of the way and discovered himself booked for dissent when pleading his innocence.
His supervisor was, unsurprisingly, seething at the last whistle.
‘I acquired offended 1st and foremost mainly because there was a foul on Ibrahimovic earlier in the go,’ Stefano Pioli explained.
‘Plus I recall the referees showed footage of that Cagliari-Brescia penalty at the start out of the year and explained it was an error to award it mainly because the player couldn’t see the ball.
‘I consequently you should not see what is so distinctive with this circumstance, as Calabria couldn’t see it. Alberto Cerri, in that circumstance, jumped and could not just slice his arms off, you have to use your arms when jumping. He didn’t have time to get his arms again into situation.’
It was mostly a weak Juventus display screen and had been it not for VAR’s intervention, they had been staring again to again defeats in the deal with.
The conserving grace for Sarri and Juventus is this is correctly half-time, with the two sides to meet up with again in Turin on March 4 to compete for a place in the last.

Theo Hernandez was sent off for a second yellow card and Milan had been decreased to 10 men

Stefano Pioli urged his aspect to hold on but Ronaldo, as he normally does, saved the working day for Juve
Juventus looked ponderous for substantial spells at the San Siro, regardless of starting off with the two Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala and just immediately after the hour mark, they compensated the selling price when Rebic volleyed in.
Samu Castillejo produced a lawn of room on the ideal, lifted his head up and looked to select out Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the six-lawn box.
The Swede leaped high, but not high enough, and the possibility appeared to have long gone when the cross evaded him.
But there was Rebic, forward of Juventus entire-back Mattia De Sciglio, to swipe into the bottom of Gianluigi Buffon’s net.
It was no considerably less than Milan deserved. Juventus have been under par for months and are no for a longer time acquiring absent with it as they have in former seasons. There is quite a lot all to participate in for when the second installment of this heavyweight clash rolls spherical.
Advertisement
More Stories
Jones scores 21, sparks No. 20 Texas rally past TCU 75-66
Baseball defeats Poets in 2022 season opener
Brian Flores says he declined to sign Miami Dolphins’ separation agreement in order to speak out on treatment by team