Verona v Juventus, referee Rapuano “demoted” to Serie B after controversy | OneFootball

After the questionable penalty and the lack of expulsion for Orban, the AIA takes action: suspension and temporary demotion for the referee.

Verona-Juventus, referee Rapuano "demoted" to Serie B after controversies

The refereeing decisions of Antonio Rapuano during Verona-Juventus sparked protests and controversies. The penalty awarded to Verona and the lack of expulsion for Orban prompted the AIA leaders to intervene: the referee from Rimini is facing a temporary demotion to Serie B.

A difficult week for Rapuano

It wasn't the first time Rapuano was under scrutiny. Just a few days ago, during Milan-Juventus, he expelled Allegri after a controversial incident involving a penalty first awarded and then revoked. The Juventus coach joked with the phrase: “The jacket saved me.”

Now, after Verona-Juve, the criticisms have become more severe, with accusations of poor technical and disciplinary management.

The two contested episodes

At the Bentegodi, Rapuano was at the center of two decisions that sparked debate:

The penalty for Verona: the ball bounced off Joao Mario's arm, judged as a penalty despite the unexpected trajectory.

The lack of expulsion for Orban: an elbow to Gatti's face judged without a red card, despite the violent conduct being evident even on TV.

These choices infuriated Tudor and the Juventus fans, fueling a storm on social media and in TV replays.

The AIA's decision

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the assigner Gianluca Rocchi and the refereeing leaders decided to suspend Rapuano. He is set for a "demotion" to Serie B in the upcoming matches, a clear signal of dissatisfaction with his officiating.

This measure is part of the responsibility policy adopted by the AIA: those who make mistakes are temporarily removed from Serie A, with the aim of regaining calm and consistency.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.