The clash between Genoa and Inter saw a number of controversial moments, especially involving referee decisions that were scrutinized in great detail. Two specific penalty incidents stood out, reflecting the complex nature of VAR interventions in modern football.
The first penalty took place in the 38th minute. Marcus Thuram spun in the area and was about to shoot when he was challenged by Badelj, who managed to get a touch in first. The Frenchman inadvertently kicked Badelj’s foot, prompting referee Feliciani to signal for a foul. However, VAR officials Di Paolo and Guida intervened, leading Feliciani to review the incident on the monitor. After his assessment, the referee overturned his original decision, awarding a free kick to Genoa instead.
The second penalty scenario unfolded in injury time of the second half. Bisseck, attempting to head the ball, made contact with it using his arm in an unnatural position. Initially, the referee allowed play to continue, but after the action completed, he was once again prompted by VAR to review the incident. Convinced by the evidence, Feliciani ultimately awarded a penalty to Genoa.
In addition to the penalty dramas, Inter had a goal disallowed in the 52nd minute when Matteo Darmian assisted Federico Dimarco, who found the net. However, the goal was ruled out due to Dimarco’s offside position as spotted by the assistant referees. Later, in the 82nd minute, Thuram appeared to be offside when scoring what would have been a second goal for Inter. The referee initially stopped play for offside, but after a VAR check, it became clear that Thuram was just onside by a matter of centimeters, thus the goal was correctly given.
While the refereeing team handled most of the bookings accurately, Feliciani’s decisions not to card a couple of Genoa players did not sit well with Inter’s head coach, Simone Inzaghi, who expressed frustration about these inconsistencies. Overall, the match highlighted the growing influence of VAR in key decisions and the ongoing debate about its execution in football.