The UEFA Champions League clash between Átletico de Madrid and Inter Milan on Wednesday was one for the books. The match had goals, amazing goalie saves, comebacks and incredible misses — all leading to the Colchoneros qualification to the quarterfinal stage through a penalty shoot-out.
Oblak the hero for Atleti ❤️#UCL pic.twitter.com/CTCDiukYJz
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 13, 2024
The game had pretty much everything you’d expect from two of the best (and most physical) teams in the world battling it out in a knockout round. Everything except this one thing.
Watch: Marcus Thuram fouls Stefan Savić after grabbing his testicles
How this is still happening in the VAR era? We’re not sure.
During the first half of extra time and with the score level, a mysterious play on the sideline saw Átletico’s Stefan Savić go down on the floor after a normal challenge with Inter’s Marcus Thuram.
The Montenegrin center back held his lower abdomen while on the ground and pleaded for a revision of what seemed like an accidental play from the opposition. So it seemed.
After the replay, it is revealed that in the effort to shield an upcoming pass, Thuram reached behind his back over to Savić’s ‘bland area’, grabbing and squeezing his testicles to shake the defender off.
MARCUS THURAM WHAT ARE YOU DOING? pic.twitter.com/JHnGQE2IYL
— Desmond Ntiamoah (@I_am_Scout247) March 13, 2024
Quand Marcus Thuram attrape les bijoux de famille de Savic... pic.twitter.com/ZPNfvVkkwt
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) March 13, 2024
We’ve truly seen about everything on the pitch.
Incredibly enough, Thuram was not punished by a VAR review or the central referee and was to continue playing the game like nothing had happened. Except he was subbed out just three minutes after the play had happened.
Cambio per i Nerazzurri:#Sanchez #Thuram#ForzaInter #AtleticoMadridInter #UCL
— Inter (@Inter) March 13, 2024
Smart move from Inter manager Simone Inzaghi.
Savić was asked about and reacted to the bizarre play in a post-match interview, saying that although it was a strange situation, it’s nothing to make a big deal about.
“Marcus Thuram’s touch? It was a strange situation because I’m not used to it. But it’s OK, it can happen in the game. It’s OK,” said the veteran center back.
“We laughed after [the play], and I don’t know… It’s a strange situation but it’s not so important,” he added.
