Daniele Orsato will not referee Sunday’s match between Inter Milan and Juventus, but not due to any “veto” from the Nerazzurri.
This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, via FCInterNews.
The Lega Serie A has now confirmed that Fabio Maresca will be the man in charge of Sunday’s Derby d’Italia match.
There were only ever a few candidates for a match of such importance.
The priority of the league was of course to put one of the top referees in Italian football on a match that has every chance of being a title-decider.
Maresca is one such official. But so is Orsato.
In fact, the latter is arguably regarded as an even more accomplished referee than Maresca.
The pair will be Italy’s two representatives at the upcoming Euros. So clearly, neither would be a surprising pick to referee Sunday’s match.
But of the two, Orsato is the one with more experience, and a more established reputation.
Orsato Passed Over For Inter Vs Juventus Clash – But Not Due To Nerazzurri “Veto”
There are other considerations behind the league’s decision to appoint Maresca rather than Orsato, however.
Namely, the latter’s history in the Derby d’Italia.
Orsato drew the ire of Inter players, staff, and supporters with one decision in a match between the Nerazzurri and Juventus in 2018.
In that match, Orsato inexplicably failed to send off Bianconeri midfielder Miralem Pjanic for what appeared for all the world to be a blatant second yellow card offense on Inter’s Rafinha.
That incident still lives in the memory.
So, for reasons of politics and optics, the Lega Serie A has declined to put Orsato in charge of Sunday’s Derby d’Italia at the San Siro.
However, La Repubblica report, this is not the result of any request from Inter.
The league has decided independently that it would be best to avoid stirring up controversy.
Particularly considering that the last few weeks have seen refereeing debates reach a fever pitch in Italian football.
