The match between Udinese and Milan took place at a relatively calm pace, but a single episode left a shadow on the final result. Genoa's international referee, Francesco Pezzuto, concluded his fourth Serie A match with 23 fouls called and three yellow cards, maintaining the ranking of the most "whistled" with Maresca. The point of discussion was the episode between Palma and GonzaloRamos, which saw the Udinese player hit the opponent in a "borderline" violent manner, but without the referee deeming it necessary to issue a card.
According to Pezzuto's observations, Palma extended his right arm during the contact, giving the impression of an elbow, but the hand was not closed into a fist. The gesture, although apparently aggressive, did not reach the level of a slap and was not considered by Pezzuto nor by VAR as violent. The pitch assistant, Costanzo, had no different opinion, and the use of VAR did not alter the decision: the episode was judged "borderline" but did not result in a red or yellow card.
On the offensive front, Udinese was able to count on a goal from Pulisic, who took advantage of a team action in which LukaModric hit a free kick and created space for the American. Modric's goal was confirmed by VAR, with the ball going over the defense wall. Another goal came from Hutchinson, thanks to a shot from Jashari that was saved by Palma and Abankwah. Vojvoda also contributed another goal, keeping the team in the game. Despite the tension, the referee managed the match with a certain calm, maintaining discipline without exaggerating with the cards.
The final result saw Udinese emerge with a victory which confirmed their position in the league table, while Milan had to settle for a draw. The episode between Palma and Ramos remains a point of discussion for the next matches, especially regarding the management of physical contact situations and the use of VAR. With the season still underway, both teams will have to deal with refereeing decisions and the need to maintain discipline on the field.