Referee Marco Guida has won praise for sticking with his decision to allow Inter Milan’s opening goal against Roma despite a VAR check.
Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, argue that the official got it spot-on.
Inter defender Francesco Acerbi was the scorer of Inter’s first goal of yesterday’s match at the Stadio Olimpico, a 4-2 thriller.
The 35-year-old headed the ball up and down over Roma keeper Rui Patricio from the edge of the box.
It was a looping header that was always going to be difficult for a goalkeeper.
And things were even more difficult for the former Sporting CP and Wolverhampton Wanderers keeper due to the crowd of players around him.
Both Inter and Roma players were densely packed around the goalline.
And one Nerazzurri player in particular was marked out by VAR as potentially interfering with play.
Marco Guida Praised For Sticking With Decision To Allow Inter Opener Vs Roma
As Acerbi was heading the ball, Inter striker Marcus Thuram was jostling with Patricio.
The Frenchman was in an offside position at the time.
And the VAR officials Luca Pairetto and Paolo Mazzoleni saw a potential infringement from Thuram.
Whether this was because the VAR officials felt that the 26-year-old was interfering with play from an offside position, or fouling the keeper by preventing him from making the save irrespective of a potential offside, was unclear.
But the VAR officials advised on-pitch referee Guida to go have a look at the incident.
The referee did watch the goal back on the pitchside monitor.
This led to a sense of doubt that Inter’s opener would stand.
But in the end, Guida stood by his decision. He saw nothing wrong with Thuram’s role in the goal.
And in the view of the Gazzetta, this was the exact right decision from the referee in the situation.
