Serie A news: How repeated referee and VAR errors sparked a crisis in Italian football
Controversy has rocked Serie A in recent weeks as numerous referees, in conjunction with VAR officials, have come under scrutiny for questionable choices.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta takes a closer look at the decisions that have angered fans across the league.
San Siro controversy
Across Europe, the league with the most prominent dubious decisions has been Italy’s Serie A.
Indeed, referee controversy is the hottest topic of discussion amongst everyone associated with football in the country.
The situation came to a head in last week’s highly anticipated Derby d’Italia at the San Siro between Cristian Chivu’s Inter Milan and Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus.
With the game tied at 1-1, Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu – who was already on a yellow card – went into a legal challenge with Alessandro Bastoni, risking the consequence of receiving a second yellow from referee Federico La Penna.
VAR then failed to intervene in La Penna’s decision to remove Kalulu from the field of play.
The game closed out with Spalletti’s side falling short away from home, with a Piotr Zieliński winner securing all three points for Inter in a crucial Scudetto race match-up.
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Fan unrest worsens
In the days that followed, heavy criticism was aimed at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the AIA, the Italian officiating body.
Head of referees for Serie A, Gianluca Rocchi, apologised and acknowledged the serious error.
“We are deeply sorry for this incident: for the decision, which was clearly wrong, and for the fact that we were unable to use VAR to correct it,” he said.
Fans have been increasingly vocal over the past year, leading to protests expressing concerns about the way VAR is being used by officials.
Another recent occurrence came in the fixture between AC Milan and Como, where the points were shared in a 1-1 draw also at the San Siro.
The match became heated near the end, with home manager Massimilano Allegri being sent off for touchline antics involving Como head coach Cesc Fabregas.
AC Milan subsequently officially complained to the AIA regarding certain officiating decisions that they felt could have been dealt with better, from player gestures to dangerous play.
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A serious issue
This weekend’s match-up in Bergamo between Ivan Juric’s Atalanta and Antonio Conte’s Napoli added even more fuel to the fire.
Conte raged at referee Daniele Chiffri following the reversal of a goal scored by full-back Miguel Gutiérrez, with the VAR deeming forward Rasmus Hojlund to have fouled defender Isak Hien in the build-up.
The home side managed to come away victorious, winning a close encounter 2-1, with Napoli dropping key points in the title race after yet another controversial officiating display.
Post-match, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna spoke to Italian media about the alleged deterioration in quality of officiating and VAR in the league.
Manna stated: “I don’t understand the protocol. I don’t understand the explanations.
“In the past, we’ve had unlucky episodes but also lucky ones – over the course of a season, they balance out. We’ve never complained.
“We play a certain kind of match and coming away with no points, not because of our own shortcomings, is very serious. Those in charge must make evaluations.”
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