Ex-Referee Paolo Casarin: “VAR Helped Unsure Federico Dionisi Make Correct Decision In Awarding Inter Penalty Vs Udinese”

Referee Federico Dionisi has been criticised for failing to award Inter a penalty in their 3-1 win over Udinese in Serie A yesterday, until VAR intervened.

Writing in a column in today’s newspaper edition of Corriere della Sera, former referee Paolo Casarin argued that Dionisi had seemed uncertain when Nerazzurri wingback Denzel Dumfries was clipped in the area by Rodrigo Becao, and appeared reluctant to whistle for the foul.

However, Inter were spared by VAR official Eugenio Abbattista and the penalty was awarded, which Romelu Lukaku duly missed.

However, VAR once again spotted that Zebrette goalkeeper Marco Silvestri had stepped off his line too early when making the save, and Lukaku made no mistake with his second attempt.

Casarin praised Dionisi for taking control of the match in the first half by booking Lukaku and Matteo Darmian before tensions could spill over, and the referee was able to keep a handle on proceedings after the break.