🤯 Di Lorenzo-Miki, huge blunder 🙅 Worst VAR error in Champions League era? | OneFootball

The controversy following Napoli-Inter doesn't seem to want to end. The Nerazzurri lose 3-1 at the Maradona, deserving the defeat especially in the second half. However, in the match analysis, the penalty awarded by Mariani for "foul" by Mkhitaryan on Di Lorenzo cannot be ignored. 

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An incorrect and also ugly dynamic to see, because the whistle comes inexplicably several seconds after the intervention in the Inter area, with the visitors launched on a counterattack. Various replays confirmed Mariani's error, making it one of the worst cases of use (or non-use) of VAR since this tool came into force. 

But what were the most striking precedents?

D'Ambrosio's hand, but it's the chest

Let's start with a Fiorentina-Inter match from February 2019. The referee is Abisso, who becomes the protagonist of an episode that went down in history for Spalletti's protests after the game.

The Viola manage to grab a draw at the 101st minute, thanks to a penalty converted by Veretout. The penalty is awarded for a handball by D'Ambrosio, who actually touches it with his chest. As mentioned, after the match, Spalletti doesn't accept it: "It couldn't be anything, let alone a handball: it's just the chest. You go on with your 'could be'."

The disallowed goal for Messias

Let's move to January 2022. Spezia arrives at San Siro, surprising Pioli's Milan and winning 1-2. 

📸 MIGUEL MEDINA

In the 92nd minute, however, the Rossoneri manage to equalize with Messias, who collects a ball after a clash between Rebic and a defender from Liguria and beats Provedel. Everything stops, though, because referee Serra had whistled a foul on the Croatian, to the despair of the Rossoneri. Unforgivable not to have let the action finish, as is customary.

Ranocchia brings down Belotti... No penalty!

A few months later, and this time the protagonist is Guida, who in Turin doesn't whistle the contact between Andrea Ranocchia and "Gallo" Belotti. 

The images seem clear, but astonishingly the VAR doesn't call the referee. An episode that was much discussed afterward...

Acerbi and Candreva's offsides

Two episodes where the blame falls mainly on the linesmen and VAR. It all happens in 2022. The first refers to Acerbi's goal in Spezia-Lazio, with the current Inter player scoring in clear offside. Neither referee Pairetto nor VAR Nasca notice it.

Similar to what happened at Allianz Stadium, where Juventus faced Salernitana. The Bianconeri were stopped at 2-2, even though the third goal had also arrived. Milik scored it, but the trio annulled it for offside. 

Too bad Candreva was keeping the line low and - therefore - the goal should have been validated.

Iling Jr. should have been red-carded on Ndoye, but not even a foul!

Two years ago, Juventus hosted Bologna at the start of the championship. A match that the Rossoblù were leading 0-1, but which ended in a draw thanks to Vlahovic's seal.

At the 71st minute, however, Bologna created the chance to double their lead, with Ndoye just a few meters from the goal needing only to tap it in. Iling Jr.'s intervention, sliding to challenge the Swiss winger, prevented it. It should have been a penalty and a red card, but incredibly referee Di Bello didn't whistle and VAR Foruneau didn't call him. 

Bastoni's elbow on Duda

In a crazy match between Inter and Verona on January 6, 2024, everything happens. Lautaro's lead in the first half, Henry's equalizer in the 74th minute. Then at the 93rd minute, Frattesi makes San Siro explode, with the celebration that became famous where the midfielder is practically left in his underwear. 

Match over? Not at all, because Verona missed a penalty in the 98th minute. The refereeing error, however, concerns Frattesi's 2-1 goal, tainted by a half elbow from Bastoni to Duda at the start of the action. The foul seems clear, but incredibly Fabbri (the referee) and Nasca (at VAR) didn't sanction it.

Ndicka-Bisseck contacts, it was a penalty

Recent history. It's late April 2025, Inter is playing for the Scudetto in the long race with Napoli, but at San Siro, they encounter a 'no' afternoon against Roma. The Giallorossi win 0-1, decided by Soulé.

At the 87th minute, however, the episode that could have changed the championship's history. Ndicka "embraces" Bisseck a few meters from Svilar, preventing the German defender from easily tapping in a simple ball. The penalty seems evident, but not for referee Fabbri. Incredibly, however, not even the VAR intervened. As is known, Inter would later lose that Scudetto. 

Obviously, there would be many more episodes. In these cases, however, the general opinion is that they were clear and obvious errors. The question then arises spontaneously: what is the worst oversight we have witnessed in the VAR era?

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

📸 CARLO HERMANN - AFP or licensors