Genoa director criticises refereeing decisions in Napoli defeat

Genoa's director Diego Lopez has stated that they anticipated refereeing controversy during their 2-0 loss to Napoli. “All of Italy saw what happened today,” he remarked regarding the contentious goal scored by Kevin De Bruyne.

The match was still scoreless at Marassi when Johan Vasquez positioned himself in front of De Bruyne to shield a loose ball. However, the defender fell after being nudged from behind, which allowed the Belgian to strike from seven yards without challenge.

Referee Marco Di Bello had a clear view of the incident, initially prepared to blow his whistle but then refrained when he observed the play leading to a goal.

The incident was reviewed by VAR, which opted not to suggest an On-Field Review, as it did not qualify as a clear and obvious error.

Shortly thereafter, De Bruyne assisted Antonio Vergara, who scored the second goal, securing a 2-0 victory for Napoli over Genoa.

Lopez expressed his discontent with referee Di Bello, stating, “All of Italy saw what happened today,” during interviews with Sky Sport Italia and DAZN Italia.

“This referee was also in the VAR booth last season in the game against Napoli, so naturally when we heard he had been assigned to this match, we were worried. Last season it was 2-2 until the last minute and Napoli were awarded a penalty. He was also in Roma-Genoa, where our goalkeeper was hit in the face during a goal. Both times, the referees later acknowledged these were errors in Open VAR.”

Open VAR is a DAZN programme where referees' association representatives assess and clarify decisions made in recent Serie A matches, admitting mistakes when they occur.

“Fortunately, there are cameras, so all of Italy saw that there was a clear push on Vasquez to create the opportunity for Napoli to score. The referee saw it and decided not to blow his whistle, then the referee decided not to view it again.

“We tried to calm the players, because they knew Genoa had already suffered two recognised errors at the hands of this referee. We know that officials are human and can make mistakes, but all of Italy saw what happened today.”

On the opening day of the Serie A season, there have already been disputes regarding refereeing, despite officials indicating they wished for VAR to intervene only in cases of clear and obvious errors.

The incident sparked considerable debate in various television studios, with some arguing that De Bruyne had fouled Vasquez, while others contended that the defender was attempting to draw contact and was not actively trying to clear the ball.

Ultimately, the referee assessed the situation on the field and determined it did not meet the criteria for a clear and obvious error.

“It’s a foul and everyone paused including KDB. It’s not a shoulder to shoulder but a nudge or push.” Source: Football Italia