-
28 November 2025 - 16:29
-
30 November 2025 - 23:17
Gianluca Rocchi opts for transparency to quell the controversy surrounding the duel between Rrahmani and Koné, the move that preceded Napoli's goal at the Olimpico. During the latest episode of OpenVar on DAZN, the referee designator explained the dynamics and judgments that led referee Massa to not call a foul on the Giallorossi midfielder.
“In the VAR room, there was a bit of confusion at first. Both VAR and AVAR had different opinions at the same time. In the end, however, there was no foul. At first, it looked like a foul to me, too. I have to compliment Massa on the way he refereed. He sees the ball first, so the decision was the right one. They were also good in the VAR room, because they assessed the play well. To make it clear, if a penalty is awarded here, VAR will have it taken away.”
It might interest you
Locatelli doesn't shy away: "This isn't working. Juve is much stronger than this team."
Juve, Spalletti: "We were too timid, Napoli were stronger. When Maradona sings, it's always a thrill..."
Spalletti returns to Maradona: "My history with Napoli is forever."
Conte faces Spalletti for the first time. And fans are divided on their reception of the former great.
The designator's words match the audio broadcast from the same program, which depicts the internal debate in the control room. Avar Di Bello speaks decisively: “This is a foul.” Shortly after, VAR Aureliano's reply arrives, overturning the initial perception: “Rrahmani takes the ball and Roma’s number 17 wants to keep playing.”
Rocchi's final point comes from him, reiterating the correctness of the referee's decision and the coherence of the decision-making process between the pitch and the technology, dismissing the idea of a mistake. The referee's assessment of the entire incident, he observes, confirms that Massa's failure to call was not only legitimate, but also technically in line with VAR intervention criteria.
Choose the channel you want to subscribe to