Controversial Ricci Handball Incident in the Milan Derby (AC Milan vs Inter 1:0): Why No Penalty Was Given

On March 8, AC Milan narrowly defeated Inter 1:0 in the Milan derby. The winning goal was scored by Pervis Estupiñán, and the result allowed Massimiliano Allegri’s team to reduce the gap to the Nerazzurri to seven points.

However, after the final whistle the main topic of discussion was not the match itself, but an incident in the closing minutes — a possible handball by Milan midfielder Samuele Ricci inside his own penalty area.

What happened in the 95th minute involving Ricci

The controversial moment occurred in stoppage time. Inter defender Denzel Dumfries headed the ball, which then struck Ricci’s arm that was slightly away from his body.

Referee Daniele Doveri did not award a penalty, and VAR did not intervene — a decision that sparked strong reactions from players, experts and fans.

Opinions were divided

Costacurta: “These penalties used to be given”

Former Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta believes refereeing standards may have changed in recent weeks.

“Until recently such penalties were usually given. But I like that something has changed in the last rounds — episodes like this, which I personally never considered a penalty, are now no longer treated as penalties,” Costacurta said on Sky Sport.

He also criticized Inter’s performance, noting that the team sometimes enters matches without the right mentality.

Bergomi: “VAR should have intervened”

Former Inter captain Giuseppe Bergomi holds the opposite opinion.

“I have seen penalties given for less obvious incidents. The referee might not have seen it because the player was close. But in that case VAR should have intervened. I don’t understand why it didn’t,” Bergomi said.

Marelli: “The arm was covering space”

Refereeing expert Luca Marelli supported the referees’ decision. In his view, Ricci’s arm movement was not a violation.

“This contact is not punishable because the arm movement was aimed at covering space rather than creating an obstacle,” Marelli explained in the DAZN studio.

According to him, the refereeing team evaluated the dynamics of the situation and concluded that Ricci’s gesture was not unnatural.

Inter players’ reaction

Inter players also discussed the incident after the match. Defender Federico Dimarco said he did not notice the episode during the game but had questions after seeing the replay.

“To be honest, I didn’t see it live. On video the arm looks wide. It all depends on the referee’s interpretation, but perhaps VAR should at least have reviewed it,” Dimarco said.

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu, however, did not argue with the referees’ decision.

“There is VAR and AVAR, they checked it. I have nothing to add,” he said.

Di Canio: “Inter has a psychological problem”

Former striker Paolo Di Canio pointed not only to the controversial moment but also to the team’s psychological state.

“If Inter looks so tense and afraid of failing, it means they see ghosts of past disappointments. I saw a team playing with fear. There is even a certain psychological reaction towards Milan,” Di Canio said.

Why the episode remains controversial

The main reason for the debate is the interpretation of the handball rule.

Some experts believe Ricci’s arm was away from the body and increased the player’s silhouette.

Others argue that the movement was natural and aimed at covering space.

Since VAR did not find a clear error by the referee, Doveri’s decision stood.

As a result, the Ricci handball became one of the most discussed refereeing moments of the round — and will likely remain a topic of debate among fans and experts for some time.