Calcagno defends Italian referees: "They're the best in the world, but reforms are needed."

ROME – "We have the best referees in the world, and that's a fact." Umberto Calcagno, president of the Italian Footballers' Association, mince no words in his defense of the Italian refereeing profession, following the meeting on football reforms convened by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. This clear stance comes at a time of ongoing controversy over refereeing incidents and the uneven judging of leagues.

Calcagno acknowledges that there is room for improvement, but identifies the crux of the matter elsewhere. According to the AIC's head, the Italian arbitration system is conditioned by rules decided at the supranational level, which are not directly dependent on Italian arbitrators. Despite this, he emphasizes, Italian arbitrators remain a recognized excellence even abroad, so much so that they are sought after in numerous international contexts.

In his speech, Calcagno also broadened his focus to include structural reforms in professional football, reiterating the need to clearly define who can truly support professionalism in the various categories. This transition is intertwined with the quality of the on-field entertainment, as demonstrated, in his view, by Inter Milan vs. Napoli, which he hailed as an extraordinary opportunity for Italian football. A match played at a blistering pace, it also highlighted the physical challenge of sustaining such intensity, especially in a context of refereeing that Calcagno personally described as high-level.

Finally, he addressed the increasingly congested schedules. The AIC president expressed hope that this situation shouldn't be considered normal, noting that footballers love high-level matches but struggle when they're unable to perform to their full potential due to fatigue.