Sarri fumes over denied Atalanta penalty in Juventus defeat

Atalanta head into the international break on the back of a third consecutive Serie A defeat after losing 2-0 at Juventus, with Maurizio Sarri directing his strongest criticism at the failure to award his side a penalty during the second half in Turin.

Penalty decision shapes Sarri’s frustration

Juventus had taken control through Francisco Conceicao’s first-half goal when Atalanta pressed for a route back into the match. Their most significant appeal came inside the penalty area, where Pierre Kalulu was judged not to have fouled Jonathan Rowe despite appearing to pull the Atalanta player’s shirt.

Sarri was angered that referee Luca Zufferi was not advised to review the incident by the video officials. The Atalanta coach said the purpose of VAR was called into question if an apparent shirt pull of that nature did not receive closer examination.

“If VAR is not used for an episode like that, then it should be removed and we should leave everything to the referee,” Sarri said. “It looked very clear to me, and somebody in the VAR room should at least have looked at it.”

Defeat exposes concern over Atalanta’s response

The disputed decision added to Sarri’s wider dissatisfaction with his team’s performance. Although he believes Atalanta are improving in technical, tactical and physical terms, he said the group must show greater willingness to take responsibility in decisive moments.

Sarri identified a shortage of initiative in individual duels, particularly in the search for one-against-one situations. He described the lack of courage as a concern, arguing that the side’s development will remain incomplete without a stronger competitive edge.

1. Conceicao put Juventus ahead before half-time.
2. Atalanta pursued an equaliser and appealed for a penalty after the Kalulu-Rowe incident.
3. No spot kick was awarded and Juventus completed a 2-0 home win.
4. The result extended Atalanta’s Serie A losing run to three matches.

Tribute disruption also draws condemnation

Sarri also addressed the conduct of Juventus supporters during the pre-match silence for Sandro Mazzola. The Atalanta manager criticised the disruption of the tribute to the Italian football great, saying respect should have been shown irrespective of the clubs Mazzola represented.

He suggested that some involved may not appreciate Mazzola’s place in Italian football, but insisted that honouring such an important figure was the minimum expected before the game.

Three-week pause offers chance to reset

Atalanta remain 11th in Serie A following the latest setback. The league now pauses for a three-week international break, giving Sarri time to address the run of results and the shortcomings he identified in Turin.

League action resumes for Atalanta on October 12, when Venezia visit. A home victory will be important if Sarri’s side are to halt their slide and begin moving back up the table.

Key takeaways

• Juventus beat Atalanta 2-0 on Sunday evening in Turin.
• Sarri believed Kalulu’s challenge on Rowe should have resulted in a reviewed penalty decision.
• The coach wants more personality and attacking initiative from his players.
• Atalanta are 11th after three straight league losses.
• Venezia are the next Serie A opponents on October 12.