Udinese v Napoli: VAR drama, two goals ruled out, Zaniolo incident | OneFootball

The refereeing of Simone Sozza in Udinese-Napoli, valid for the fifteenth day of Serie A, inevitably comes under scrutiny.

Udinese-Napoli, the Bluenergy Stadium review: VAR takes center stage, two goals disallowed, and the Zaniolo case

An intense match, decided by key episodes and heavily influenced by VAR interventions, which led to the disallowance of two goals for the Friulians and sparked debate, especially around the performance of Nicolò Zaniolo.

Sozza, a referee in continuous growth

Considered one of the most interesting prospects in Italian refereeing, Simone Sozza is experiencing a significant maturation phase. After a very high-level season three years ago, the referee from the Seregno section has alternated convincing performances with less brilliant ones, but in recent outings, he has shown solidity and consistency.

The trust of the designator Gianluca Rocchi is evident: Sozza is now firmly placed in the top tier group of CAN referees. Not surprisingly, besides his debut in the Champions League, this season he has already been entrusted with high-profile matches like Lazio-Roma, Juventus-Atalanta, Milan-Inter, and Inter-Fiorentina.

Previous encounters with Udinese and Napoli

Before the Bluenergy Stadium match, Sozza's record with Napoli included seven previous encounters: three wins for the Azzurri, three draws, and one defeat. The record with Udinese was decidedly more negative, with the team losing in all three direct encounters with the Lombard referee.

A statistical fact that fueled expectations and tensions on the eve of an already delicate match for standings and ambitions.

Reduced discipline: only one booking

Assisted by assistants Lo Cicero and Yoshikawa, with Bonacina as the fourth official, Ghersini on VAR, and Manganiello as AVAR, Sozza maintained a rather lenient disciplinary line. The only yellow card of the match was shown to Zaniolo, an episode that takes on symbolic weight in the context of the game.

The key moments: sparks, VAR, and crucial decisions

The first controversial situation arises at the 21st minute: a heated contact between Spinazzola and Zaniolo, former teammates at Roma. The Napoli winger protests openly, shouting at the opponent, "Do you really think that's not a foul?" Zaniolo responds, claiming he was unaware of the contact, while offensive chants rain down from the section occupied by Neapolitan fans.

At the 33rd minute, Zaniolo receives a booking for a challenge on Elmas.

The first crucial episode occurs at the 51st minute: Davis scores on the rebound after an intervention by Milinkovic-Savic. Initially, the striker's position appears regular, but VAR intervenes, and after the check, the goal is disallowed for offside.

At the 69th minute, Udinese scores again with a powerful shot by Zaniolo, assisted by Karlström. This time, VAR calls Sozza for an on-field review: the images reveal a prior foul by Karlström on Lobotka. After reviewing the monitor, the referee disallows the goal for an infraction at the start of the action.

A contrasting evening for Zaniolo, a protagonist with high-level plays but also unfortunate episodes, including a disallowed goal and a missed opportunity.

The decisive goal comes at the 73rd minute: Ekkelenkamp crafts a perfect curling right-footed shot into the top corner. VAR quickly checks and confirms the regularity of the action. After the added time, Udinese-Napoli ends 1-0.

The technical verdict from Marelli

On the most debated episode, the second disallowed goal for the Friulians, comes the explanation from former referee and DAZN talent Luca Marelli, who clarifies: “It is correct to disallow the goal. Karlström's touch on Lobotka is involuntary but negligent and blatant, enough to cause him to lose his shoe. The VAR intervention is justified, while the referee on the field could not have seen the episode.”

Sozza's performance appears overall technically correct, although inevitably marked by the weight of VAR decisions. The two disallowed goals for Udinese are supported by images and protocol, while there remains the sense of a complex game, managed with personality but without disciplinary clamor.

A review destined to spark discussion, but unlikely to be overturned on a regulatory level.

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