When Henrikh Mkhitaryan slipped past the referee’s hand on a clear foul, the stadium collectively held its breath – a yellow card would have meant a suspension for Inter’s next showdown with Napoli. Instead, the Armenian midfielder walked away unscathed, keeping Inter Milan’s midfield intact for what could become a title‑deciding clash.
The 1‑0 victory came on 22 February 2025 at the San Siro, where a solitary goal from Lautaro Martinez in the 78th minute put the Nerazzurri ahead. The win lifted Inter to 57 points from 26 matches (17‑6‑3), nudging them to the top of Serie A, while Genoa lingered at 30 points with a record of 7‑9‑10.
Inter’s lineup was an all‑out gamble: Simone Inzaghi, the head coach, started three men each teetering on the brink of a second booking – defender Alessandro Bastoni, midfielder Nicolo Barella and the man at the centre of today’s drama, Mkhitaryan. Inzaghi later admitted, “I trusted my players. It was a risk, but we needed the rhythm they bring.”
The flashpoint arrived in the second half. Mkhitaryan, at 36, appeared to execute a blatant drag‑back on Genoa’s Fabian Miretti – a move that did little to play the ball and seemed designed to halt a promising forward run. Yet referee Marco Piccinini, who officiated his 115th Serie A match, chose not to brand the action with a yellow card.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the omission was “a glaring refereeing error that favoured Inter at a crucial juncture.” The Armenian midfielder later told reporters, “I know the draw‑back was harsh, but I’m just glad the team can keep going. The next game is massive.” If the booking had been shown, Mkhitaryan would have missed the upcoming away match at Napoli, forcing Inzaghi to reshuffle his midfield.
Starting players on the edge of suspension is a tactic rarely seen in Serie A’s closing stages. Bastoni, who collected his first booking in the 34th minute, and Barella, who escaped a second yellow by a hair, also remained clear. This trio’s availability means Inzaghi can field his preferred 4‑3‑3 formation against Napoli – a formation that helped Inter dominate possession (58% vs. 42%) and create 12 chances.
“We trained as a unit all week,” Inzaghi explained. “If one of them missed the game, we’d have to adjust, and that could have cost us points in a title race that’s tighter than ever.”
Next Saturday, Inter travels to Naples to face the second‑placed side, who sit on 55 points after 26 matches. Napoli’s coach, Francesco Calzona, has hinted at an aggressive pressing style designed to exploit any complacency from Inter’s midfield.
Should Mkhitaryan have been suspended, Inzaghi would likely have dropped an alternative such as Hakan Calhanoglu or Marco Dimarco, altering the tactical balance. The preservation of his starting eleven therefore keeps Inter’s attacking cadence intact, a factor that could decide the championship race.
Italian football is no stranger to pivotal refereeing moments shaping title outcomes. In 2006, the Calciopoli scandal rocked Serie A, while the 2012 “Milan‑Juventus non‑card” incident sparked months of debate. The current episode adds another chapter, reminding fans how a single yellow can ripple through an entire season.
Statistically, teams that keep a clean disciplinary record in the final ten matches of a season improve their win rate by roughly 12%. Inter’s ability to avoid an additional suspension could be the statistical edge they need.
Inter will fine‑tune their set‑pieces ahead of the Napoli clash, while Genoa looks to regroup under manager Patrick Vieira. The referee’s performance will also be reviewed by the Italian Football Federation, though historically such reviews rarely overturn on‑field yellow card decisions.
Fans can expect a packed schedule: Inter faces Juventus on 2 March, while Napoli takes on Lazio the same weekend. Every point will matter as the race for the Scudetto tightens.
If Mkhitaryan had received a second yellow, he would have missed the Napoli match, forcing Inzaghi to replace him with a less familiar midfielder. Keeping the Armenian in the lineup preserves Inter’s preferred 4‑3‑3 shape, which has been crucial in dominating possession and creating chances, thereby improving their odds of taking points from Napoli.
Each player had already been booked once this season. A second yellow would have triggered a one‑match ban. Analysts calculated a 22% chance for at least one of them to be sent off based on average foul rates for midfielders and defenders in the league.
Reversals are rare. The league’s disciplinary committee can review straight red cards, but yellow cards are usually upheld unless there is clear evidence of a refereeing error, such as video‑review footage showing no foul occurred.
After the Genoa win, Inter sit on 57 points, while Napoli hold 55. The two‑point gap means the upcoming match is effectively a six‑point swing for the title race.
The Italian Football Federation will review the incident, but historically referees are not penalised for isolated missed yellow cards unless there is evidence of bias or misconduct.
George Georgakopoulos
Looks like Marco Piccinini got a discreet nudge from the league’s higher‑ups – a yellow card for Mkhitaryan would’ve been too convenient for the Napoli‑backed agenda. The timing of the “harsh” decision, right before the Napoli showdown, screams of a pre‑planned script designed to keep Inter’s engine humming while the odds are tilted against the southern giants. It’s not just a slip of the whistle; it’s a calculated move in the grand chessboard of Serie A politics.
Mark Pelletier
The beautiful thing about football is that it mirrors the chaos of existence. Every referee decision is a tiny ripple in the river of destiny we watch from the stands. We often forget that the rules are merely a social contract we, as fans, constantly negotiate with the authority figures who claim to be impartial. Yet they are inevitably human and fallible in their interpretations of what constitutes a foul or a simulation. This incident with Mkhitaryan illustrates how a single moment can be dissected endlessly while the game moves on.
Cheyenne Walker
Mkhitaryan’s avoidance of a second yellow preserves Inter’s preferred 4‑3‑5 shape, allowing Inzaghi to maintain midfield continuity against Napoli. Statistically, teams that keep key players available in the final ten matches improve win probability by roughly 12 %.
Jo Simpkinson
Oh wow the drama! another “edge‑of‑your‑seat” moment and nobody even flinches – the referee just waves it off like it never happened. the fans get their popcorn while the league pretends everything is crystal clear. what a masterpiece of subtlety.
Darrell Kuykendall
Exactly! The way you described it totally captures the excitement, and it’s great to see such passion for the game-keep the energy coming! 🙌
Dean Obijekwu
While the theory about hidden influences is intriguing, the practical impact is that Inter retains a seasoned playmaker, which in turn could be decisive in the tight title race.
finlay moss
Actually the ref’s call aligns with the league’s official guidelines – a drag‑back that stops an opponent isn’t automatically a caution unless there’s reckless intent. So the decision, in a strict sense, was within the rulebook.