Referee Antonio Rapuano has been praised for his officiating in the 0-0 draw between Cremonese and AC Milan last night.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) have published their referee review starting by giving Rapuano a 6.5 in their ratings, for demonstrating clarity in the most complicated decisions.
At the end of the first half there were some half appeals by Cremonese after a fierce shot by Michele Castagnetti was blocked in the area by Junior Messias, but with his arms very much by the side of his body.
In the 56th minute Divock Origi’s goal was disallowed for offside by Rapuano after a quick check with the VAR, and that was very much the right decision as the Belgian did not get back onside quick enough.
Towards the end Matteo Bianchetti was accused of committing a handball on Brahim Díaz’s cross, but it was the result of a ricochet as the ball first goes on the foot of the Cremonese defender and then bounces off his arm, so he got that right too.
There were also appeals when Junior Messias went down under contact from Giacomo Quagliata but the replays showed they were pulling each other’s shirt in the box and no penalty was the right call.
I thought the foul on Messias was a pen. The defender pulled him back and did not even play the ball and then went over him. I was trying to figure out how that wasn’t a foul. They definitely weren’t pulling each other’s shirts, if anything it’s maybe both raises arms. But the linesman view/angle clearly shows the defender pulled his shoulder