Referee head Gianluca Rocchi is looking for improvements after a rocky start: “Technology has been used more on penalty calls. It is undeniable that it has helped see fouls that were otherwise impossible to notice. We are trying to take a step back, sanctioning only clear infractions in the box. It is not an easy job as you need quality.”
Rocchi heaped praise on VAR while talking to Radio Anch’io: “It is a fabulous instrument if the referee officiates well and in a linear, precise, and coherent matter. He remains primarily in charge. Judging images on a monitor is completely different from doing it on the pitch. I think those careers could be separate in the future.”
“We are not opposed to coaches’ challenges. A few managers are not fully on board with it though and, in any case, it would require a few steps first. We keep all the discussions between referees as they are useful to us too. We could soon make them public to remove any doubt about their intellectual honesty. Instead, it is not up to us to decide on the guidelines regarding the offside.”
Rocchi assessed Fabio Maresca’s errors in Roma-Milan: “I did not like how he handled the match in general, not just one episode. He was not at the top of his game on that occasion. It happens, and I had a few missteps of my own as well. He will spend time in Serie B to regroup and then return to the top league.”