Tassos Douvikas, Como's Greek forward, was hauled to the ground by Inter defender Francesco Acerbi in Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final, with Acerbi reportedly taking Douvikas's shirt in the process — an incident referee Sozza judged to require no action. The foul, according to Tuttosport, occurred moments before Baturina put Inter ahead, making the non-call consequential rather than incidental.
The timing is the point. A foul conceded in a neutral area of the pitch is one thing; a foul that immediately precedes a goal that swings a semi-final is another. Sozza's decision not to intervene shaped the passage of play that followed, and Como paid for it.
For Douvikas, the moment fits a broader pattern of a forward who attracts contact precisely because he is a credible threat. Across 33 Serie A appearances this season, the 26-year-old has scored 11 goals and added one assist, carrying a 6.80 average rating under Cesc FÃ bregas. Those numbers place him as a consistent contributor to a Como side sitting fifth in Serie A on 58 points, with a goal difference built on 57 scored and only 28 conceded. Defenders do not drag down forwards they consider irrelevant.
The Acerbi incident will not appear in any official match record, but it will linger. Como's cup run is over — Inter progressed — yet the manner of the exit, including a refereeing decision that Tuttosport found worth leading with, adds a layer of grievance to an otherwise creditable campaign.
FÃ bregas's side return to Serie A with fifth place still to defend and Douvikas still to deploy. The shirt Acerbi took will not be the last one he earns.