The last intersection with the ducals on 13 June 2017: the run-up to promotion by Lega Pro for a penalty not given to Buratto ended in controversy
«I immediately made contact, the penalty was there. How can I forget it? ». At the stadium, and on TV, everyone saw him. Except the referee, who flew over. More than four years have passed since that episode, but Matteo Buratto – 127 appearances with the neroverdi – remembers it very well. The midfielder, born in 1994, now at Campodarsego in Serie D, analyzes for the first time the penalty not granted at the 120 ‘of Pordenone-Parma, a challenge valid for the Lega Pro play-off semifinal.
If Luigi Pillitteri had whistled, who knows what would have happened: maybe it would have been the green lizards to go to Serie B instead of the Emilians. Since that 13 June 2017 the two teams have not faced each other. The match returns on Sunday and the thought inevitably goes to that episode.
Buratto, first of all a curiosity. How many times have you relived that moment?
“Hundreds, thousands, I don’t know: I’ve lost count. These are moments that are not easily forgotten. Especially in the following weeks, with the disappointment still alive, I always had in mind the action and how it had developed ».
Tell us about it.
«Launch of Paolo Marchi from our half of the pitch. We had called a long ball, now the time was running out. Parma’s defensive line misread the trajectory, I attacked space, I believed in that ball: in fact I manage to intercept it. Fractals came out, touched me and I fell. ‘
He must have thought: it is rigor. From the images you can see that Iacoponi nods “no” to the referee. And Pillitterri didn’t whistle.
“Our whole bench stood up. Asked the penalty, which was there. I repeat: I suffered the contact. The race director did not change his mind. I didn’t want to believe it ».
Then we went to the penalty lottery and Parma advanced to the final, winning 6-5 …
«A great pity. Physically we were fine, certainly better than the yellow and blue. A few days later I saw the final on TV. I gnawed. I saw that, from an athletic point of view, we could also have our say with Alessandria and win. And to think that in that semifinal we lacked players like Arma, Berrettoni, Stefani… ».
In your opinion, if the parts are reversed, the referee would have whistled a penalty?
“I really think so. We deserved more and I think everyone saw this at that moment. “
Do you know that Pillitteri has stopped refereeing?
“There will obviously be a reason …”.
Both Parma and Empoli had set their sights on her then, then she got injured and had to stay still. He returned and came a step away from the B with Pordenone.
“There were some rumors, but there was never anything concrete. In general, I can say that football is made up of moments. It also takes a bit of luck to get to the top ».
Buratto, with the green lizards he played from 2013 to 2017: promotion to C, two Lega Pro play-off semifinals, the round of 16 of the Tim Cup with Inter. Did he live his best years in neroverde?
“Definitely, I have only good memories. I am still tied to former teammates like Stefani and Bassoli, wonderful people. And on Sunday I hope to be at the stadium too ».
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