Suspended: Key Coaches Miss Final Serie A Matchday
The final matchday of the Italian Serie A will be marked by the absence of several important coaches, including the strategists of the teams fighting for the title. Antonio Conte and Simone Inzaghi, from Napoli and Inter Milan respectively, will not be able to manage their teams from the bench in the decisive matches.
Napoli, which leads the table with a one-point advantage over Inter, will face Cagliari at home. For its part, Inter will visit Como. The tension is maximum, as a tie in points between both teams would force a tie-breaking match to define the champion.
Serie A decided to move the matches forward to Friday, instead of Sunday, to allow time for a possible tie-breaking match and allow Inter to recover before the Champions League final on May 31.
Conte was sent off in Napoli’s 0-0 draw against Parma, following an altercation with the opposing bench. Cristian Chivu, Parma’s coach, was also sent off.
I was annoyed by Parma’s obstruction today, as I was used to English football, where there aren’t all these stoppages for cramps, injuries, feigning injuries, so it irritated me and that’s why I was sent off.
Antonio Conte
Inzaghi and Lazio coach Marco Baroni also received red cards for protesting in the 2-2 draw between Inter and Lazio.
In addition, Sérgio Conceição, AC Milan’s coach, was sent off at the end of the match that his team lost 3-1 against Roma, and will also miss the next match.
The Lega Serie A confirmed that the five coaches have been suspended for one match. All, except Chivu, have been fined 5,000 euros.
If Napoli and Inter finish tied on points, the tie-breaking match could be played on May 26. The remaining six Serie A matches will be played on Sunday, where the European spots and relegation will be decided.
