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Napoli threatening to play youth team against Juventus

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Coppa Italia highlights as Juventus took on Napoli in the semi-final, first leg

Napoli are threatening to play their youth team in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final against Juventus in protest at first-leg refereeing decisions.

Napoli lost 3-1 in Turin on Tuesday night after Juventus striker Paulo Dybala scored two second-half penalties.

The Naples club's director Cristian Giuntoli described the performance of the referee Paolo Valeri as "shameful and damaging to all Italian football".

Napoli's players argue with Paolo Valeri during first leg of 2017 Coppa Italia semi-final
Image: Napoli's players argue with Paolo Valeri during first leg of Coppa Italia semi-final

Valeri awarded the hosts a penalty at the start of the second half after apparent contact between Dybala and defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

He awarded Juventus another penalty when they were leading 2-1 after former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina brought down ex-Chelsea winger Juan Cuadrado.

Napoli feel television replays proved Reina touched the ball before the Colombia winger was upended.

Paulo Dybala (R) of Juventus FC scores his second goal from the penalty spot during the TIM Cup match between Juventus FC and Napoli
Image: Paulo Dybala scores his contentious second goal penalty from the spot

They also believe they should have been awarded a penalty seconds earlier when Raul Albiol went down in the opposition's penalty area.

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Napoli's mayor Luigi De Magistris then became involved in the controversy, releasing a statement which said: "Yesterday in Turin we suffered once again from an injustice, a game that was full of, and influenced by, repeated refereeing mistakes. It was a disgrace on top of disgrace."

The second leg in Naples is live on Sky Sports 2, on Wednesday, April 5 at 7.45pm.

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