Why 'nonsense' Lecce penalty highlighted 'sad state of affairs' in football after controversial VAR decision against Napoli in Serie A clash

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A hugely controversial officiating decision was made in the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli. Early in the second half, with the scores level at 0-0, Napoli were penalised for a highly contentious handball. TNT Sports commentators Don Hutchison and Paul Dempsey were dumbfounded by the decision, calling it "nonsense" and "a sad state of affairs for football".

Should Lecce have been awarded a penalty or was 'justice' done?

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Lecce and Napoli were playing out a hotly-contested Serie A clash at Via del Mare, as the reigning champions looked to extend their lead at the top of the table.

The scores were tied at 0-0 early in the second half, with Napoli struggling to find their groove after making several changes to their side after facing Inter in a crucial 3-1 win just three days previously.

That was until a highly controversial refereeing call was made five minutes after the interval, to the disapproval of TNT Sports commentary pair Paul Dempsey and Don Hutchison.

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Lecce centre-back Kialonda Gaspar headed the ball from a corner, and it ended up in the hands of Napoli goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

There were some hopeful appeals from Lecce players for handball, but it was unclear whether their protests would bear fruit.

That was until a few moments later, when VAR stepped in.

Highlights: Napoli battle past spirited Lecce amid penalty controversy

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The first few replays were so unclear that Hutchison could not even see what they were looking for.

He questioned: "I can’t see a touch there, to be honest; if it is, it's a faint one - is it off Juan Jesus?"

The ominous replays continued, and it became more apparent that the officials were indeed looking at a handball from Napoli defender Juan Jesus.

Replays showed the ball glancing off his hand from close range, with his arm tucked in.

"I am not sure what you can do from a yard away if someone heads the ball onto your hand," Hutchison added.

"I am sure - you can’t do anything," Dempsey replied.

Yet, despite it appearing that Jesus had not made himself unnaturally bigger as per the laws of the game, the replays continued and the prospect of an innocuous touch of the hand becoming a penalty grew more and more realistic.

Hutchison eventually gave his final assessment: "I don’t think that is a handball. I know in Serie A, if it strikes a hand sometimes they are given, but what can you do?

"Proximity has to come into the equation - Juan Jesus was half a yard away, completely accidental - personally, I wouldn’t give it.

"Look at that; it is just the faintest of touches. What can you do there if you are Juan Jesus? You are not making yourself any bigger. The ball is headed at your hand from half a yard away."

After three minutes of VAR checking the replays, they decided to send referee Giuseppe Collu to the monitor.

A penalty was subsequently awarded to Lecce, a decision that enraged Hutchison.

"We have got ourselves in a terrible state with handballs and penalties," he said.

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"Nonsense, he doesn’t play the ball with his arm at all. That is a poor explanation from the referee. The ball actually struck Juan Jesus’ hand.

"Terrible decision. What a sad state of affairs we have got ourselves in with this handball law.

"You can see him [Jesus] saying to him [the referee] my hands are by my chest; what do you want me to do? Put my hands inside my shirt? That is what he is saying to him - it’s ridiculous."

Francesco Camarda, Lecce’s talented 17-year-old, stepped up to the spot and saw his effort saved by Milinkovic-Savic, prompting Hutchinson to say: "Justice has been done."

It proved to be a costly miss too from Camarda, as 15 minutes later, Frank Anguissa headed in a David Neres cross and Antonio Conte’s side held on for a vital 1-0 away win.

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