First a yellow, then the VAR, then the red. The episode that saw referee Daniele Orsato initially warn Matias Vecino before dismissing the midfielder after the stamp on Mario Mandzukic opens many questions on the dynamics that led to decision of the referee to consult the technology and, therefore, change his decision.
At first, it appeared that the decision to review the challenge had been made by Paolo Valeri – the fourth official in charge of the VAR for Saturday’s match. However, Sky Sport propose a different scenario. According to the TV channel, Orsato made the decision to review the incident himself after seeing the extent of the injury to the Croatian. Valeri may have suggested a review, but the final decision was made by Orsato who can request an ‘On Field Review.’
Sky confirmed that this process is within the rules of the VAR, as the system provides revision if the referee is in doubt as to whether or not an incident warranted a red card, or if there is a request by the referee in front of the monitor. What happened at the San Siro falls under the first case, but not the second. The decision to send off Vecino was supported by international rules which state that the referee is required to deliver a red card if a player suffers a serious injury as a result of a challenge.
Sky went on to question, however, what would have happened if Orsato had not witnessed the wound on the leg of Mandzukic. The referee called for the review after seeing the damage to the player, but would he still have delivered a red card if he hasn’t seen it? For example, what if the player had been treated on the sidelines, out of view of the referee? The rules state that any challenge that threatens the physical safety of the opponent should be greeted with a red card, but we cannot be sure what the outcome would have been.
Moving on to the challenge of Miralem Pjanic on Inter’s Rafinha, where it would have been appropriate to issue the Bosnian with a second yellow card, the VAR is not authorized to intervene. The rules of the VAR state that the technology cannot be applied in the revision of yellow cards, even if it is the second and, therefore, the possible expulsion of the player in question.
