Mourinho cries foul over referees

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ROME, Feb 15, 2010 (AFP) - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho complained his team is being hard done by in crucial refereeing decisions following their 0-0 draw at Napoli that took them seven points clear at the top of Serie A.

In a pulsating game at the San Paolo stadium in Naples there were chances aplenty for both sides and the woodwork was struck three times as the result could have gone either way.

But Mourinho, while admitting Napoli did not deserve to lose, said his team had been deprived after referee Roberto Rosetti failed to give a first half penalty to Inter when a cross from Maicon clearly hit Salvatore Aronica's arm in the area.

"Napoli are a good team and for us that wasn't a surprise but their football is predictable, even if they play with great intensity and speed," said Mourinho.

"We should have had two penalties. But in the end the result is fair because they didn't deserve to lose.

"It was a great game even if the penalties weren't given. The referee was good and let the play flow, I liked his attitude.

"Unfortunately, however, we're paying for others' problems, the problem Napoli have with referees.

"At the end of the day it's us who pay. For the last month and a half there have been too many episodes going against us."

Mourinho felt that Inter paid for mistakes made in other matches with those evened out when teams play against Inter.

Napoli were incensed last weekend about the refereeing in their 3-1 defeat at Udinese and Mourinho suggested their recompense was favourable decision-making the next week, against his team.

He also hit out at the penalty awarded to Juventus late on in their 3-2 win over Genoa for a foul on Alessandro Del Piero. Genoa coach Gian Piero Gasperini complained the incident had not been in the area, was not a foul and that Del Piero had been offside anyway -- claims largely supported by TV replays.

"Now, for example, that Gasperini and his president will go crying (to the authorities) I'm sure it will be us who pay for it.

"That's the same way this midget Napoli president (Aurelio De Laurentiis) went crying.

"It makes me think that I too should talk to my president and he too should start crying so we can change these things.

"What happened in Turin was shameful but I'll say it again, it's not my problem.

"De Laurentiis cries, the coach (Walter Mazzarri) shouts like a madman and then there is us... Obviously I'm not talking about a conspiracy against us but I am saying that there is too much pressure (put on referees).

"I believe we didn't get the penalties because we didn't cry. But I repeat, the referee was excellent but then there were episodes that under normal circumstances should have resulted in penalties."

For his part, Mazzarri accused Mourinho of hypocrasy.

"Mourinho was watching his own match as has always happened ever since he arrived in Italy," he said.

"He always puts pressure on the referees and behaves in a way that if others did the same they would be kicked out.

"As for the penalties I didn't see either of them. It was him who was crying all week, as he always does."

bc10/cwh