The Champions League semi-final between Inter and Barcelona, ​​​​on stage at San Siro, is not yet a concentration of footballing emotions, but also the theater of a controversial episode that has quickly made headlines in the world of football. To catalyze the attention is not only the daring result, but above all an unsportsmanlike gesture that coincided with the protagonists of the series: Francesco Acerbi and Iñigo Martínez.

The incriminating episode was verified shortly after the rigorous transformation of Hakan Calhanoglu that led Inter 2-0. At the moment, Acerbi has insulted Iñigo Martínez, Barcelona’s defender, in a provocative manner. The reaction of the English language appears immediately out of control: according to the accusation, he would have spat towards Acerbi in a gesture both serious and unacceptable in a sporting response. All of this, however, happened away from the eyes of referee Szymon Marciniak and the VAR system, which did not detect anything irregular at that moment.

The part is continued regularly, without any sanctions in the confrontation of Martínez. However, the images are shown in an amateur video that is soon to be circulated on social media, clearly showing the alleged dispute and causing the outrage of the Nerazzurri fans. The reaction of the public is not if it is made attended: thousands of protest messages have appeared online, asking UEFA to intervene and harshly punish the possible unsportsmanlike gesture.

During the interval, Francesco Acerbi continued to complain to the referee, giving a clarification and subtly pointing out the sudden injustice. However, the insistence of the Inter defender is not a prey to any official decision at that moment. The referee’s intervention has resolved numerous doubts about the effectiveness of the VAR and its coherence in the punishment of certain behaviour, especially in part of things of high importance.

The episode also had a clear impact on the psychological dynamics of the match. Barcelona, ​​visibly destabilized, lost concentration for a few minutes, but then reacted with determination. The Catalans reorganized their ideas and launched an offensive assault that bore fruit: first Eric Garcia, then Dani Olmo and finally Raphinha scored three goals that rebalanced the overall score at 6-6. It seemed that the comeback was complete and that Barcelona could snatch qualification away from home.

But the final twist came. Acerbi himself, the protagonist of the controversy, scored the 3-3 goal in injury time, taking the match to extra time. And there, Davide Frattesi sealed it with a goal that made San Siro explode and gave Inter their ticket to the final, with an overall result of 7-6 after two epic challenges.

Despite the joy of the Nerazzurri’s victory, Iñigo Martínez’s gesture has cast a heavy shadow over one of the most exciting matches of the season. The images that have been released have already sparked interest among journalists, former players and pundits, many of whom have called on UEFA to formally investigate the incident. If the allegations are confirmed, the Spanish defender risks a significant suspension, potentially up to several rounds of the Champions League, as well as a financial penalty.

A UEFA spokesperson, asked immediately after the incident, said that the organization was “analyzing all the evidence available” and that “any disciplinary measures will be communicated once the checks are completed.” Inter, for their part, simply celebrated their passage to the next round without further fueling the controversy, while Barcelona avoided making any official comments on the episode.

This case brings to light a recurring problem: the inadequacy of current tools in detecting certain underhand and unsportsmanlike behaviors, often decisive for the emotional course of a match. The use of VAR, although useful in many situations, still does not seem sufficient to guarantee justice in all circumstances.

Meanwhile, Inter are preparing for their second Champions League final in recent years, but with media attention that remains partially focused on an episode that will most likely continue to be discussed for a long time to come.