📺 Pavlovic-Marusic clash: what referee and VAR said, Rocchi fuming 😠 | OneFootball

In the latest weekly episode of Open VAR published by DAZN, the spotlight is on the controversial Pavlovic-Marusic incident that occurred during Milan-Lazio.

Watch the entire Serie BKT live on OneFootball for only €9.99 per month. Click here to purchase the LaB Channel Monthly Pass without automatic renewal.  

An incident that infuriated Lazio, prompting the club to first post a strong post on social media and then a press silence. The new analysis reveals the details of the dialogue between referee Collu and VAR Di Paolo — subsequently suspended for one match — and especially the viewpoint of the referee designator Gianluca Rocchi.

🔎 Marusic-Pavlovic, the replay of the incident

Lazio's protests erupted following Pavlovic's arm contact in the penalty area, which deflected Romagnoli's attempt towards the goal. Collu initially allowed play to continue but was then called by the VAR - after a long check - to an OFR. The decision was not to award a penalty for Marusic's foul on the Rossoneri defender.

The opinion of the replay analysts and newspapers is unanimous: "Pavlovic's action is never a penalty for three reasons: the extreme proximity of the players, because the arm does not move towards the ball, and because Pavlovic is facing away. There are no elements for awarding a penalty” according to Marelli; "Collu and Di Paolo complicate their own lives. There is no foul by Marusic on Pavlovic, and the Serbian does not commit a handball. A convoluted and technically wrong review" according to Calvarese; "The ball kicked by Romagnoli from close range impacts the wide elbow (but without extra movement) of the Milan player. The VAR intervenes (a check would have sufficed): the arm outside the body is defined as a 'consequence' of the Lazio player's foul. Not a penalty, anyway" according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

📺 What happened on the field between the referee and VAR

In the lengthy video posted on DAZN's social media profiles, it emerges that Di Paolo tells referee Collu, after a long series of image reviews, "I recommend an OFR for a possible penalty" and the referee wants to see the entire dynamic. Once seen, he says: "There's a shirt pull, I call a foul for the defense".

👀 Rocchi's clear opinion: "15-second check"

Speaking to DAZN, referee designator Gianluca Rocchi fully agrees with the replay analysts, adding clearly: "It deserved a 15-second check: it's not a penalty, but it's never a foul for the defense. The right decision was this: corner kick".

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