'An injustice!' - Lautaro Martinez still reeling from referee's penalty 'mistake' against Liverpool as Inter star rues blow to Champions League run

The mood at Appiano Gentile is one of frustration rather than regret following Inter's contentious clash with Liverpool at San Siro. The Nerazzurri saw their hopes of a positive result dashed in the 88th minute by a controversial penalty decision that has left their captain fuming. Martinez believes the referee's interpretation of a tussle in the box was far too harsh and ultimately decided the outcome of a match that was balanced on a knife-edge.

The incident occurred late in the game when defender Alessandro Bastoni was adjudged to have pulled the shirt of Liverpool substitute Florian Wirtz inside the area. While on-field referee Felix Zwayer initially waved play on, he was advised by VAR to review the monitor. Upon second viewing, Zwayer pointed to the spot, allowing Dominik Szoboszlai to convert the winner. Martinez argued that such contact is commonplace and that penalising it ruins the sport's competitive nature.

"We are disappointed but not angry," Martinez explained to Gazzetta dello Sport. "Because if you lose due to a referee's mistake, there is little you can do. We are sorry to have thrown everything away because of an injustice: if they were to whistle for penalties for every hold, we would never play."

Despite the controversy in Europe, Inter remain firmly in the hunt for domestic glory. The Nerazzurri are currently embroiled in a fierce battle for the Serie A title, looking to add another Scudetto to their collection. With the Supercoppa Italiana also on the horizon, the fixture list is congested, leading to questions about whether the club needs to prioritise one competition over another to ensure success.

However, Martinez was quick to shut down any suggestion that Inter should pick their battles. Drawing on the mentality that has seen the club reach two Champions League finals in the last three years, the Argentine insisted that the squad has the depth and the hunger to compete on all fronts. He emphasised that the club's recent history of lifting trophies has created an environment where settling for less is not an option.

When asked to choose between the Scudetto and the Champions League, Martinez was defiant: "I don't choose. I want to go to the end in all competitions, just as we have done in recent years. We are on an extraordinary journey that has brought trophies and happiness back to Inter. It is not taken for granted to play two Champions League finals in three years."

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Martinez’s comments highlight the elite mentality that has survived the managerial transition from Simone Inzaghi to Cristian Chivu. While Chivu is still navigating his first season in charge of the senior side, the core of the squad remains battle-hardened from deep European runs in previous campaigns. They are still in good shape in both competitions, sitting a point behind AC Milan and Napoli in Serie A and in the mix for a top-eight finish in the Champions League table, which would guarantee an automatic spot in the round of 16.

Inter must now quickly channel their frustration into performance. The fixture list offers no respite, with a Serie A match against Genoa coming up this weekend before they travel to Saudi Arabia to face Bologna in a Supercoppa Italiana semi-final, with Napoli and AC Milan going head-to-head in the other clash.