Nice: “A penalty was expected”, the refereeing management agrees with the Niçois

The action has caused a lot of talk since Sunday, particularly from the Nice leaders, who stepped up to complain about referee Bastien Dechepy during the defeat in Lyon (4-1). After declaring on the microphone of the broadcaster DAZN that “Mr. Dechepy had a white jersey (like Lyon) and not yellow (that of the referees)”, he continued in the mixed zone, saying he found the fact of not blowing “scandalous”. penalty after a foul by Caleta-Car on Guessand at the start of the second half.

Exchanges between the field referee and the VAR made public

This Tuesday, the Arbitration Directorate (DTA) published a press release recognizing an error of interpretation on this action. “In his penalty area, Lyon defender number 55 (Caleta-Car), without playing the ball, surrounds the shoulders of Nice player number 29 (Guessand) with his left arm then with his right arm, which prevents the latter from be able to play the ball that he controlled, notes the DTA. Additionally, when leaning on the attacker, the defender steps on the left foot of the attacker. »

Continuing the observation, the press release concludes with these words: “The intervention of the defender does not allow the attacker to continue his action after controlling the ball, and constitutes a fault within the meaning of Law 12. A penalty was therefore expected following viewing at the side of the field, as well as a warning to the offender for unsporting behavior. »

On Monday, the Nice club sent a letter to the refereeing department, in particular to request access to the sound recording of the exchanges between the referee and his assistants in the video booth. She made the images public on her YouTube channel during the day.

We can notably hear during the exchanges between Bastien Dechepy and the VAR manager Jérôme Brisard that the main referee believes that there is “not enough”, according to him, to call a penalty. “There was a complete hiccup,” Florian Maurice said directly. Today's press release from the DTA proves him right.