Who Needs 11 Players Anyway?

Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder (second from left) shouts at referee Gianluca Rocchi after being sent off Sunday during the match between Inter Milan and AC Milan.

By GABRIELE MARCOTTI
WSJ

Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder (second from left) shouts at referee Gianluca Rocchi after being sent off Sunday during the match between Inter Milan and AC Milan.

One of the longest-held sports clichés says the best officiating performances are those where you don't notice the referee at all. The table-topping clash between Inter and AC Milan wasn't one of those games.

You couldn't help but spot referee Gianluca Rocchi when, in the 23rd minute with Inter leading 1-0 thanks to Diego Milito's early goal, he collided with Inter's Wesley Sneijder. That sent the playmaker tumbling to the ground just as he was about to receive the ball in a dangerous position. Mr. Rocchi appeared to apologize—the clash was clearly inadvertent, though perhaps his positioning could have been better—but Mr. Sneijder wasn't pleased and could clearly be seen jawing his displeasure at the referee.

Less than three minutes later, Mr. Rocchi showed Inter defender Lucio a yellow card for diving, after he fell following Massimo Ambrosini's challenge. It was a controversial decision—Mr. Ambrosini's thigh did appear to catch Lucio as he motored past him—but nothing compared with what would happen next. Mr. Sneijder approached Mr. Rocchi while clapping his glove-clad hands slowly and sarcastically and appearing to repeat, "Bravo! Bravo!" Mr. Rocchi's eyes met those of Mr. Sneijder for a beat or two, before the referee pulled out his red card and solemnly sent the Inter playmaker to an early shower.

It was a gutsy decision and, following the letter the law, a correct one. As Mr. Rocchi walked off the pitch at halftime, Inter boss José Mourinho asked for an explanation, and the referee appeared to simply say, "He disrespected me." But, given Inter's reliance on Mr. Sneijder (who had hit the post and come close to scoring on two occasions in his short time on the pitch), it was also akin to ejecting Peyton Manning early in the second quarter: about as potentially game-changing as you can get.

(More here.)