Napoli Boss Conte Questions Buongiorno Handball Call After Verona Penalty

Napoli stayed four points behind Serie A leaders Inter after a 2-2 draw with Verona, ending a chance to move closer in the title race. The match at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona brought controversy, with Antonio Conte furious about a first-half penalty decision against Alessandro Buongiorno.

Verona twice led in the game, while Napoli extended an unbeaten home run in Serie A to 23 matches but failed to secure the win Conte wanted. Late goals and two major VAR interventions shaped a tense contest, which left the Scudetto holders frustrated with key refereeing calls.

The first major incident came when Verona were awarded a penalty after a lengthy VAR review. Buongiorno tried to clear a dropping ball with a header, but it struck the upper part of

the defender’s arm. After watching replays, officials punished the contact and Gift Orban scored from the spot.

Conte focused his anger on that call, arguing Buongiorno had little control over the situation. In the post-match press conference, Conte said: "Hojlund's goal was disallowed because I don't know where he should have had that arm. We have to accept them and we accept them. What is Buongiorno to do with that arm? Does he have to amputate it? It becomes difficult, but we move on. "

Before the penalty, Verona had already stunned the home side. Martin Frese scored his first Serie A goal, putting Napoli behind early and increasing pressure on the champions. The penalty conversion from Orban then left Napoli 2-0 down, with the crowd unsettled by both the scoreline and the decision.

Napoli responded through Scott McTominay, who ended his longest Serie A goalless spell since joining the club in 2024. Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund later stretched to finish what seemed an equaliser, but VAR showed the ball brushed Hojlund’s arm, and the effort was cancelled.

Conte accepted that his side were part of their own problems in the opening period but highlighted their reaction after half-time. Conte said: "In the first half there were two negative episodes for us, we could have done better. On the penalty there was a somewhat peculiar assessment.but we accept it. These two episodes could kill anyone. In the second half we were good at putting our heads on our shoulders. We had the strength to score two goals, and that's what counts. "

Napoli Serie A draw, home streak and match data

Napoli finally drew level when captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo struck, maintaining the club’s long unbeaten home sequence in Serie A. Despite rescuing a point, Napoli missed a chance to apply stronger pressure on Inter, who had beaten Parma 2-0 earlier, stretching their advantage at the top to four points.

Key details from Napoli’s Serie A draw with Verona are shown below in match summary form.

The club’s official account later shared the full-time result and images from the match, underlining a dramatic night in Naples with plenty of debate over VAR use and handball calls.

Full time#NapoliHellasVerona 2-2 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/Rq4xbOV5yLOfficial SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) January 7, 2026

Napoli Serie A title race and Inter showdown

Attention now switches quickly to Napoli’s next Serie A fixture, an away trip to leaders Inter on Sunday. Inter, who have reached two Champions League finals in the last three seasons, present a significant test as Napoli try to close the gap in the standings.

Looking ahead, Conte underlined the scale of the challenge while stressing the need for intensity from every player. Conte said: "We will face a strong team that has made two Champions League finals in the last three years. We will go there with great desire and determination. We will do the count as always and those who play will give their best. "

The draw with Verona left Napoli defending a strong home run but regretting missed chances to cut Inter’s lead. Conte’s comments showed frustration with refereeing choices, yet also highlighted resilience, as attention shifts from VAR debates to a crucial clash that could shape the Serie A title race.