Former Juventus and Roma midfielder Zibì Boniek believes there were mistakes made in Napoli’s 1-0 win over the Bianconeri, and explained why he believes his two former sides could meet in the Europa League final. The former Polish international was speaking with Radio Anch’Io lo Sport (as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport) about last nights match between Juve and the Partenopei and explained why things are changing in Italian football for the better, after five sides made it through to the semi-finals of the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues:
“The match was beautiful, intense, Napoli played better, Juve suffered the Azzurri’s playing style, however, everything went smoothly. Unfortunately, referee Fabbri made mistakes that eventually triggered the players’ nervousness. There was a red to Gatti, you cannot slap another player on the pitch with malice. On Milik’s foul to Lobotka, the referee must have the courage to whistle the foul immediately, he should not need Var to get help.”
“With Var the problem has been created whereby referees are afraid to make decisions. Var is not only correction but also suggestion.”
“Juve’s points penalty? It’s not my field, I like to talk about things I know and understand. It’s about reshaping the ruling and redoing it a little softer, in the end it will be 7-10 points less, but I don’t know.”
“A Juventus-Roma final in the Europa League? It’s a good question, and also a good reality: both Roma and Juve in the semifinals start slightly favored, and this gives the possibility to think that we will get an all-Italian final in Budapest: it would be a historic thing, an extraordinary event that repositions Italian soccer.”
“Plus there will be one of the two Milanese in the Champions final and it is not that they have to lose, although against City or Real they will certainly not be favored. And there is also Fiorentina in the Conference: in short, in all the European finals there could be an Italian participation. Which means that something is changing in the level of football: it’s rising, or the others have given up a little bit, and this has to be carefully analyzed.”
“I maintain, and I often argue about this with my former teammates, that playing in Italy is the hardest thing in Europe: if you play well in Italy, you can do it all over the world. It is also a bit snubbed because of the infrastructure, but as a lover of Italy and Italian football, I hope it will soon return to what it was in the 1980s, which is the most important in Europe.”
