Calcio is in shock after reports revealing that Gianluca Rocchi and Andrea Gervasoni are under investígation for influencing the officiating in various ways.
Today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (see photo at the bottom) has taken a closer look at the five games that are mentioned in the investigation. One involves Milan, as you shall see, but most of them are seemingly unimportant games.
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Inter vs. Verona
This game includes an investigation into a referee who hasn’t been named, only specified as the assistant VAR, and that was Rodolfo Di Vuolo. The controversy stems from an elbow to the face by Alessandro Bastoni on Ondrej Duda, with a clear foul in the build-up.
Not only did VAR and the head referee Michael Fabbri fail to check the foul afterwards, but the referee also should have blown his whistle earlier as Duda was down in the penalty box. He let the play carry on for way too long, especially since it was a head injury.
The investigation states that ‘in collusion with others’ the assistant VAR failed to help call an on-field review on the goal. Rocchi later admitted that it was a big error by the team, so he’s not under investigation for this game.
Inter vs. Milan
In this game, Rocchi is accused of having decided the referee for Inter-Milan after a meeting with the Nerazzurri higher-ups. Daniele Doveri was assigned to the game as Inter did not want him in a potential final or any of the final league games (referees don’t tend to get several games involving the same team in quick succession).
Why Inter didn’t want him is unclear, but the investigation is pretty clear on the fact that Rocchi was influenced in his decision-making, as should be the case. Milan ended up winning the game 3-0 and the whole tie 4-1 on aggregate.
The only precedent in that season that would cause Inter to dislike Doveri is the 1-1 draw against Napoli, when Philip Billing scored the equaliser. The Nerazzurri believed a contact between Scott McTominay and Denzel Dumfries should have resulted in a penalty.
Bologna vs. Inter
Rocchi is also the man under investigation for this one, as according to the accusation, he made sure that Andrea Colombo was appointed as the head referee. Whether it was in favour of Inter or not is a bit unclear, but it seems to be the case even if the outcome was very different.
Indeed, Inter actually lost the game after a late goal by Riccardo Orsolino. The goal was heavily contested by the Nerazzurri as the Rossoblu got to take a throw-in much further ahead than where the ball went out, and it eventually led to the overhead-kick strike.
Colombo’s refereeing was criticised by both sides, so it’s a bit hard to tell if there was any benefit for the away side here. Nevertheless, the actual appointment was supposedly done with the belief that there would be fewer complaints from the Milanese side.
Udinese vs. Parma
Moving on to a game that doesn’t have anything to do with Inter, Rocchi is accused of using his power to influence the VAR room. It was in the 35th minute that a potential handball was ignored by the referee (deeming it legal) and the VAR referee Paterna first seemed inclined to agree with that,
Then you can see Paterna turning around in the VAR room, and his lips are captured saying “it’s a penalty?”. According to the investigation, it was Rocchi who banged on the VAR room window to get the attention of his subordinates.
An on-field review was called and Maresca correctly awarded the penalty, but the point is that Rocchi shouldn’t be able to influence the referees like that.
Salernitana vs. Modena
This game includes a similar incident to the above, though this time the VAR supervisor Gervasoni is named as the culprit. A penalty was awarded on the pitch but images showed the handball wasn’t punishable, which is something Gervasoni allegedly told the VAR referee Nasca.
It’s very similiar to the Udinese-Parma game, in other words, in the sense that the right decision was made but they went about it the wrong way.
Inter should be punished for what they did against Milan and Juventus 20 years ago, they stole one Scudetto from office which should have been unassigned., since Juventus was relegated and Milan was docked 30 points‼️ it’s all schemed by Inter president and FIGC, probably that’s why they missed three world 🌎 cup consecutively, It’s retribution ‼️ Inter should return the Scudetto ‼️
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So Inter are dirty?
In other breaking news the sun came up this morning….
Rocchi has been nothing but a disaster since taking that role. Referees are all confused, players don’t even know what is and isn’t a foul and PK’s have become gambles – no one understands what they are given for anymore.
Doveri should be the one in charge of the referees. The only solid ref left.