‘Not a penalty for me’

CAGLIARI, ITALY – JANUARY 02: Fabio Pisacane, coach of Cagliari, looks on during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and AC Milan at Stadio Sant’Elia on January 02, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane kept an admirably consistent position on penalty appeals in the defeat to Milan. ‘I must be honest, that’s not a spot-kick for me.’

His players had started the game well and had several early attempts, but struggled to create chances once Rafael Leao had opened the scoring.

Their best opportunity was a Semih Kilicsoy bicycle kick charged down by Samuele Ricci’s arm, but as it was flush to the body, VAR did not suggest an On-Field Review for handball.

Pisacane admits Cagliari penalty appeal was weak

“I already said last week that I don’t like commenting on the referee’s performance,” Pisacane told Sky Sport Italia before viewing the footage.

“I have to be honest, that’s not a spot-kick for me. If it had hit the left arm, you might think he was extending the silhouette, but not the right.

“We must also learn to help referees, because at the slightest error, people try to make it into a weekly disaster. I prefer to think the officials are doing their work in good faith and we must try to help them, not stir up controversy.”

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Cagliari 0-1 Milan

Cagliari suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Leao strike at the back post, when rolled across from the right by Adrien Rabiot.

Elia Caprile made saves in the second half on Christian Pulisic and Luka Modric to keep the scoreline down.

“We had a great first half, but it is difficult to keep that intensity and tempo for 90 minutes,” confessed Pisacane.

“The disappointment is that we didn’t make the most of that to score in the first half. If you don’t break the deadlock against opponents like this, you will pay in the long run. Once they took the lead, Milan could hurt us on the transition with spaces opening up.”

The players from both teams seemed to slip and slide on the pitch, especially in the second half, so did they have the wrong studs on?

“I checked the studs of all my players and they were suited to this pitch. The trouble is that as the evening wore on, the humidity level increased, and those who played in this stadium know that sometimes even the metal studs are insufficient,” explained Pisacane.

“It’s disappointing, because there was a slip on the goal too.”

There were concerns when Sebastiano Esposito limped off with cramp, as Pisacane confirmed the striker “felt burning, so we need tests to make sure it’s nothing more serious.”