Inter Express Astonishment as Rocchi Probe Points to Matches They Lost
Inter Milan have been left astonished by a sporting fraud investigation targeting former referee designator Gianluca Rocchi, according to club sources, particularly as the matches under scrutiny are ones the Nerazzurri lost last season. The probe, first reported by Italian media, alleges Rocchi selected officials favourable to Inter, but the specific games cited were damaging defeats in the 2024-25 campaign that cost Simone Inzaghi's side trophies. The club has not issued an official statement but is understood to be both baffled and calm, with no individuals at Inter having received formal notice of involvement.
The investigation centres on two critical matches from last April, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport. The first is the 1-0 league defeat to Bologna on April 20, a contentious loss decided by a late Riccardo Orsolini goal following a disputed throw-in placement. The second is the 3-0 home defeat to AC Milan in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg three days later, which ended Inter's cup hopes. These results, coming in quick succession, effectively derailed Inter's pursuit of a league and cup double, a period the club internally refers to as a "black week."
Club officials, including CEO Giuseppe Marotta, are reportedly puzzled by the logic underpinning the allegations. One claim suggests a "top secret" meeting was held at San Siro during the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg on April 2 to pre-select referees for the subsequent Bologna and Milan matches, a scenario considered implausible given the very public setting. Furthermore, the theory that referee Daniele Doveri was deliberately assigned to the second Milan derby because he was supposedly "disliked" by Inter, thereby making him unavailable for a potential final or key league games, has been met with skepticism internally.
Inter's confusion is compounded by the fact that Doveri, far from being a favourable official, oversaw several disappointing results for the team. Last season, he was in charge for a 2-2 draw at Parma that saw Inter surrender a two-goal lead. This season, his matches include a 2-2 draw with Napoli and a derby defeat. Similarly, referee Andrea Colombo, who took charge of the fateful Bologna loss, had previously overseen five Inter victories, but also this season's painful 4-3 defeat to Juventus.
The investigation also references a separate incident from a 1-0 loss to Roma on April 27, 2025, where a potential penalty for a handball by Evan Ndicka on Yann Bisseck was not awarded. This match, which occurred days after the other cited defeats, contributed to Napoli eventually winning the Scudetto. For Inter, the timing of the probe's emergence is particularly sensitive, arriving as the current team under new coach Cristian Chivu closes in on a potential league title. The club's primary focus remains on the pitch, with officials believing the historical nature of the matches in question means the situation will not distract the squad's immediate sporting objectives.
