After Inter’s third goal was disallowed and a late equalizer against Monza was given away, Simone Inzaghi was left feeling “very angry.”
After Patrick Ciurria thwarted Matteo Darmian’s early goal, Lautaro Martinez capitalized on a Pablo Mari slip-up to put Inter back in front and look like they were going to win.
However, as a free kick was sent into the Monza area after a disputed Roberto Gagliardini challenge and Francesco Acerbi nodded in the goal with the score at 2-1, referee Juan Luca Sacchi whistled for a foul.
Inter experienced heartache in the 93rd minute when Luca Caldirola scored to rescue a point for Raffaele Palladino’s team and prevent the Nerazzurri from winning their fourth straight Serie A match. This goal, which certainly would have ended the game, was disallowed.
Inzaghi was upset during the game because he felt the referee’s early whistle cost his team all three points and prevented them from closing the gap on league leaders Napoli to just five points before the Partenopei’s trip to Sampdoria on Sunday.
“I’m very angry at what I saw,” Inzaghi told reporters. “Unfortunately, after five years of VAR, there was an error that penalised us.
“A clear mistake on Acerbi’s goal, there are two Monza players who fell between them. It’s a huge disappointment on our part.
“I complimented Palladino, [but] without that mistake we would have won the match.”
#MonzaInter 2️⃣-2️⃣
— AC Monza (@ACMonza) January 7, 2023
⏱️93' – CALDIROLAAAAA!!!!#ACMonza #Monza #SerieATIM #DAZN pic.twitter.com/TKxrRf9lRS
Romelu Lukaku impressed for Inter as they ended Napoli’s unbeaten start to the season on Wednesday, but Inzaghi opted to start Martinez alongside Edin Dzeko up top against Monza, over the Belgium international.
With Lukaku struggling for fitness, Inzaghi is unsure when the striker will be back to his best, saying: “Time will tell, he’s training in the best possible way.
“He had a very good first half with Napoli, today it was difficult. We’ll do the analysis tomorrow when we’ll be more rested.”
Asked whether he felt Inter sat back too much late in the game, inviting Monza on, Inzaghi replied: “In the first half we conceded little or nothing.
“There are always difficult opponents, Monza are organised and have excellent players.
“Without what we’ve seen [Acerbi’s disallowed goal], there wouldn’t have been this question.
“Now we start again. It’s normal that there is huge disappointment on everyone’s part.”