Garcia: "This Game Really Does Hurt Italian Football"

AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia took to social media on Monday proclaiming that his team’s controversial 3-2 loss away to Juventus “really does hurt Italian football,” after aseries of debatable refereeing decisions gave Juve the win. Referee Gianluca Rocchi awarded two penalties to the host for offenses that occurred on the edge of the penalty area, in addition toallowing the match-winning strike from Leonardo Bonucci to stand even though teammate Arturo Vidal was standing in an offside position and appeared to obstruct Roma goalkeeper LukaszSkorupski’s view.

“A cool head…this game really does hurt Italian football,” Garcia posted on his official Twitter account on Monday. The Roma coach’s anger was echoed by Francesco Totti, who claimed that “by hook or by crook [Juve] alwayswin.”  The Roma captain added: “With Juventus when there is any doubt whatsoever, it’s always a penalty…It’s a huge shame after a good performance. We came to Turinto play our game, but you saw what happened and that affected the match.”

In his post-game interview on Sunday,Garcia, who was sent off for making a violin gesture towards the match officials, said of Rocchi’s performance: “On the referee I can say it is time we help the referees. Phantom goalsand knowing whether a foul is inside or outside the box can be decided using technology and it’s time we help the officials,” he argued. “Technology would be able to give youmeasurements to the centimeter, in or out, as we are in the 21st century now. When you saw Maicon from above in the stands, you could tell the ball was outside the box.”