Daniele De Rossi maintains Roma deserved a penalty against Porto in the Champions League. “It’s nothing to do with VAR, that is a human error.”
VAR was used to give Porto a spot-kick in extra time and win 3-1 on the night, 4-3 on aggregate, but official Cuneyt Cakir did not watch the footage back when Patrik Schick seemed to be tripped a few minutes later.
Daniele De Rossi maintains Roma deserved a penalty against Porto in the Champions League. “It’s nothing to do with VAR, that is a human error.”
VAR was used to give Porto a spot-kick in extra time and win 3-1 on the night, 4-3 on aggregate, but official Cuneyt Cakir did not watch the footage back when Patrik Schick seemed to be tripped a few minutes later.
“Our season doesn’t end here. A dream is ended here, once again in a brusque and painful fashion, but if we get six points from the next two Serie A rounds, we’ll be much closer to fourth place, seeing as Inter and Roma have to face each other,” the captain told Sky Sport Italia.
This was his second post-match interview, as Coach Eusebio Di Francesco delayed speaking to the media.
“I don’t get into these matters, as it’s down to the club and the Coach to sort this out. The team has always proved it follows the Coach and tonight confirmed we are 100 per cent for Roma with our hearts and our minds.
"Di Francesco will remain the Coach who took Roma to the Champions League semi-finals after who knows how many years and he deserves credit for that. I know this isn't our best season and the job of a Coach will always be tied to results.
“If it was worked out like a boxing match, I’d say over the two legs that we’d get the decision and win. It’s painful because we didn’t deserve to go out, but also to be eliminated in these circumstances just makes it feel worse.
“Maybe we didn’t have as much belief this time as we did in the first leg.”
De Rossi had said in his pitch-side interview with Sky Sport Italia that the refereeing decision on that Schick trip had to be respected, but changed his mind later.
“I tried to be a bit vague before, but I’ve been able to see the clip now and it’s a penalty. It’s remarkable, because I said last season we’d be in the Final if there was VAR against Liverpool, yet here we are again.
“It’s a human error, though, it’s nothing to do with the technology. It’s the same as Fiorentina-Inter, there was an error from the referees in evaluating the footage, but I remain convinced VAR will be improved and perfected as time goes on.”