Football, Rocchi on Verona-Juve: ‘Tudor is right, but tone down the rhetoric’

Milan, 23 September (LaPresse) – ‘It was a week in which we could honestly have done better’. This is how Gianluca Rocchi, referee coordinator for Serie A and Serie B, opened his speech during the episode of “Open Var”, a programme broadcast on DAZN. During the programme, the most controversial incidents of the day were discussed, starting with the decisive penalty in Bologna-Genoa awarded by referee Collu (VAR Maggioni). ‘The movement of the arm towards the ball, however instinctive, makes it punishable. I realise that it is a very complex decision, difficult to accept. The work they did in the VAR room and how the announcement was made was done well,’ said Rocchi. Then the focus shifted to Verona-Juventus, starting with the penalty awarded by Rapuano for a handball by Joao Mario after a review (VAR Aureliano). “The decision is incorrect; for me, it’s not a penalty. It’s not right to bring up other incidents, which are always different. The dynamics do not make Joao Mario’s arm punishable; the player goes to try to head the ball and the falling ball hits his arm. For us, the decision is wrong, as is the on-field review,‘ said Rocchi, who added about Orban not receiving a red card for elbowing Gatti: ’In this case, the correct decision was a red card. VAR and AVAR dealt with the case too quickly, but the player looked at his opponent, which is another reason to raise the red card. It was a red card that should have been given on the pitch.” On Tudor’s complaints, Rocchi says: ‘In Orban’s case, he is also right, but I would like the correct terms to be used. Using excessive language is not appropriate. We are here to admit our problems, but I ask for cooperation, which is essential for us.’