Armenian striker Aleksandr Karapetyan is still furious with Leonardo Bonucci for getting him sent off. “Did he do it because he was scared to lose?”
The pair went for the ball during the first half of the Euro 2020 qualifier, which ended 3-1 for Italy and was 1-1 at the time, with Karapetyan given a second yellow card for leading with his elbow.
However, replays showed he barely touched Bonucci in the face and it was an extremely harsh decision.
Armenian striker Aleksandr Karapetyan is still furious with Leonardo Bonucci for getting him sent off. “Did he do it because he was scared to lose?”
The pair went for the ball during the first half of the Euro 2020 qualifier, which ended 3-1 for Italy and was 1-1 at the time, with Karapetyan given a second yellow card for leading with his elbow.
However, replays showed he barely touched Bonucci in the face and it was an extremely harsh decision.
“It’s incredible that one of the best defenders in the world did that,” Karapetyan complained on Radio Punto Nuovo.
“I played an aggressive game and I fully admit the first yellow card was deserved, but watching it back, I saw that I didn’t even graze Bonucci.
“I have a message for him. I’d like to ask: ‘Why did you do that?’ I want to understand why he simulated injury against Armenia. Was he scared to lose against us? Did he consider us such a dangerous opponent that he could do such a thing just in order to win?
“After scoring the goal, I had asked Bonucci for his jersey. Perhaps he thought I was provoking him, but I really did want his shirt at the final whistle.”
Karapetyan tagged Bonucci on Instagram to complain about the incident.
“He never apologised to me. Many Juventus fans, though, did contact me on Instagram to say sorry.”