During the football weekend, the figure of referee Daniele Orsato was at the center of a series of controversies, especially for the management of the match between Como and Venice. The referee suffered complaints from the public, in particular from the Sinigaglia fan, while the most questionable decision was to cancel a penalty awarded to the visitors. Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi, in the stands, expressed solidarity with the player who suffered sexist insults, but Milla's gesture, which touched Ferrieri's arm, was judged correct by the penalty line. However, VAR reversed the decision, citing the OFR, without a clear reason for review emerging. The VAR intervention therefore created more confusion than clarity, leaving the referee in a difficult position in front of the public.
The second most controversial episode occurred in the Lazio–Cagliari match. Before Pinamonti's goal, Colombo should have stopped the game when Cagliari's striker, Deiola, was hit violently in the face by an opponent and remained on the ground. The referee let the action continue, allowing the goal to be credited. VAR could not intervene because it was not a foul, but Colombo's decision not to interrupt play came in for criticism. The choice allowed Lazio to keep the match in suspense until the decisive goal, raising doubts about the referee's disciplinary management.
Other matches showed a mixed performance from VAR. In the Juventus-Napoli derby, the Milanese referee Sozza had difficulties in disciplinary management, although the main decisions were correct. VAR corrected Gila's handball in Milan-Inter, canceling the penalty awarded, and saved Zanotti's decision in Bologna-Monza, confirming three penalties, including one after a review for Lucchesi's hold on Theate. However, the referee made a mistake in not awarding the yellow to Goglichidze, as the VAR protocol does not allow intervention in that case.
Overall, the weekend highlighted a number of controversial decisions from referees, with VAR at times creating more confusion than clarity. The criticisms focused above all on the management of disciplinary decisions and the correct application of the rules by the referees. As the next week of the championship approaches, the football authorities will probably have to review the VAR intervention procedures to prevent similar situations from happening again, thus ensuring a fairer and more transparent game for players, coaches and fans.