Barella escapes booking at Bologna: Tuttosport takes aim at his protests

The exchange between Nicolò Barella and Daniele Doveri has become another post-match talking point following Bologna v Inter on 17 October. Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport recounts the incident, focusing on the protests of the midfielder, who was captain in Lautaro Martínez’s absence: the discussion concerned a corner Barella had appealed for, after a ball which, according to the newspaper’s account, had gone out off Barella himself.

The player addresses the assistant referee and the referee with his arms outstretched. After Doveri reprimands him, he tells the referee three times to calm down. The exchange ends without a booking: this is the basis of the newspaper’s criticism, with Barella’s behaviour described as intimidating.

Tuttosport contrasts the lack of punishment with the booking Federico Bernardeschi received in the same match. According to its account, the Bologna player had protested after two challenges went unpunished by the referee and was then booked. Unequal treatment is therefore the newspaper’s interpretation, drawing a comparison between two exchanges with Doveri arising from different incidents.

The previous incident cited is Lautaro’s against Monza on the opening day: on that occasion too, Tuttosport reports, the captain had repeatedly told referee Marinelli to calm down without receiving a yellow card. For Barella, the criticism comes after an evening in which he had helped Inter come from behind, delivering the cross for Thuram’s equaliser in the 44th minute before Inter went on to win 3-1.