Inter chief executive Giuseppe ‘Beppe’ Marotta has shared his delight at how his comments were received by Serie A referee designator Nicola Rizzoli.
Following on from Inter’s 2-2 draw with Parma this past weekend, Marotta spoke to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia and shared his disappointment at the referee’s failure to award Inter a clear penalty during the second half.
“I claim the merit of having come out into the open, following that macroscopic error, and of having broken the front in underlining a regulatory void in the use of technology,” he explained in an interview with Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, which appeared in today’s print edition of the Milan based news outlet.
“I am pleased that Rizzoli appreciated my tone and that he confirmed that on Saturday we suffered an error from both the referee on the pitch and the one in charge of VAR.”
Former Juventus executive Marotta proceeded to call for clarification with regard to the role played by former referee Gianluca Rocchi, who is supposed to act as a link between the refereeing world and the clubs.
“Given that we received a communication on this new role only in early October and that there is talk of a training role to resolve regulatory concerns.
“I believe that an official clarification is needed, perhaps from Lega Serie A on the characteristics of this role and above all as a political interlocutor.”
Marotta was then asked about whether he had an idea for a possible model that could be followed and shared his desire for there to be an interlocutor.
“A model that could be used? In England there is a group, PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Board) which is external to both the Premier League and the English Football Federation to which clubs can ask for clarification on referee decisions.”
In conclusion, Marotta added: “Personally I respect Rocchi and his professional values, we do not want to give the referees the report cards, but we would like an interlocutor.
“An authoritative figure who, on a Monday, compares things with him by presenting the requests collected by the individual clubs, who is chosen by the president of the Lega and by the CEO and then proposed to the assembly.”
