Three Possible Candidates To Referee Serie A Showdown Between Inter Milan & Juventus

Toni Weeler

MILAN, ITALY - JANUARY 09: Referee Fabio Maresca reacts during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Torino FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 9, 2021 in Milan, Italy. Sporting stadiums around Italy remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

There are three prospective candidates to referee the upcoming match between Inter Milan and Juventus in Serie A.

Italian broadcaster SportMediaset via FCInterNews, name Fabio Maresca, Marco Guida, and Maurizio Mariani as the possible referees for the Serie A title showdown.

The question of who will be the referee on February 4 at the San Siro is hardly a trivial one.

First of all, the match will have huge potential ramifications for the outcome of the Serie A title race.

Inter and Juventus look to be the two main contenders for the Scudetto.

The Bianconeri are currently one point ahead at the top of the table. But the Nerazzurri have a game in hand which could prove to be all-important.

In any event, the match between the two the weekend after this one has all the potential to shift the balance in the title race.

Maresca, Guida & Mariani Three Candidates To Referee Inter Vs Juventus Serie A Clash

Then, there is the fact that controversy is seemingly never far from Derby d’Italia matches between Inter and Juventus.

That has been the case over the years, and decades, in the fixture.

This is perhaps inevitable considering that it pits two of Italian football’s dominant forces against one another.

Moreover, refereeing has been at the centre of a fair bit of controversy in Serie A in recent weeks.

Recently, an unnamed Serie A referee spoke out about what he saw as poor standards and a lack of accountability behind a number of incorrect decisions.

This referee identified decisions that favoured both of Inter and Juventus this season.

So naturally, the pressure on any official will be significant.

Any contentious refereeing decisions would have the potential to become real flash-points.

So Serie A referee-designator Gianluca Rocchi would want as experienced and high-quality a referee as he can put on the match.

Mediaset note that neither Maresca nor Mariani will be involved in refereeing this coming weekend. That could hint at Rocchi “saving” them for the big match next weekend.

Then, there is Guida.

Guida had refereed the previous Derby d’Italia match this season. And he will be on Assistant VAR duty for the match between Cagliari and Torino, and VAR duty for the match between AC Milan and Bologna.