Internazionale forward Thuram was denied a clear penalty against Fiorentina and is now being labeled as a diver: Is this fair?
La Gazzetta dello Sport noted that after scoring the late winner, Thuram paused to make his frustration known, raising a finger and saying: "The referee thinks I'm a diver..." In fact, before netting a precise left-footed shot past De Gea, the French forward made contact with Viery, which the referee judged as no offense. Referee Maurizio Mariani had his whistle ready but changed his mind seconds later—a decision that should have resulted in a penalty.
The Bologna precedent
After the match, Thuram elaborated on his complaint: "It's strange. The referee might think I'm diving because I received a yellow card against Bologna. But after he reviewed the footage, he admitted it was a penalty. The same situation happened again today." Why would Thuram invoke this comparison? Because it's recent and relevant. In Inter's 3-1 comeback win at Bologna's Dall'Ara stadium, Thuram was booked in the 61st minute for simulation after contact with Darmian. Beyond the yellow card, he was also fined €2,000 for "feigning a foul." However, the referee's body camera footage revealed a telling exchange. "No, no..." referee Daniele Doveri said. Thuram replied: "I swear, I swear." Gazzetta columnist Calvarese later commented on the decision: "It wasn't a penalty, but it wasn't a dive either. Darmian did touch him, but not enough to warrant a penalty. At the same time, Doveri was wrong to show a yellow card."
Another occasion
There is another instance. On January 14, 2026, Thuram received a yellow card for diving in the 14th minute of Inter's match against Lecce, a game decided by Esposito's goal in the second half. On that occasion, he fell inside the box following contact with Santiago Pierotti and was cautioned by referee Maresca for simulation. In that case, Thuram was genuinely at fault. But not against Fiorentina.