Evaluating VAR in Parma-Lazio, Bologna-Juventus and Udinese-Napoli

PARMA, ITALY – DECEMBER 13: Mattia Zaccagni of SS Lazio leaves the field after receiving a red card during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and SS Lazio at Stadio Ennio Tardini on December 13, 2025 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Former referee Andrea De Marco analysed the controversial Serie A decisions made during Parma-Lazio, Bologna-Juventus, Udinese-Napoli and Torino-Cremonese.

He was representing the Italian Referees’ Association (AIA) in the weekly DAZN Italia programme Open VAR, where the footage and audio from conversations between the officials are analysed.

You can read about his comments regarding the incidents during AC Milan 2-2 Sassuolo here.

Serie A referees got most of it right

De Marco was pushed on the Mattia Zaccagni straight red card for a sliding tackle on Nahuel Estevez during Lazio’s 1-0 win away to Parma, a decision that some refereeing pundits had called “excessive.”

Not for the first time, the official line was different to the one presented by the television pundits.

“In these situations, there is maximum severity when punishing tackles like this that are serious foul play,” assured De Marco.

“We see there is everything required for this to be a red card, the referee is very well placed, and he was quick to make the correct decision.

“The criteria for a red in this case are the speed of the lunge, the high leg, and the danger posed to the opposition player. It’s true he doesn’t get him full on, but this type of challenge will be clamped down on with the maximum severity throughout the season.”

If that was correct, then some other decisions this weekend did not meet with the approval of the AIA.

Specifically, Cremonese were furious late on when Torino striker Giovanni Simeone’s handling offence was not spotted by VAR.

“In this case, the VAR and AVAR focused too much on the green zone of the arm when the ball first makes contact, which also touches his chest,” explained De Marco.

“Their review was a little superficial, because they didn’t pay attention to the second touch with his arm. If there was one, then it was punishable, because it was not knocking it onto his own arm, it was a clear deflection, so that should’ve been a penalty.”

However, De Marco sided with the officials on two other contentious Serie A Week 15 situations.

“Karlstrom’s foul on Lobotka is clear, so Ghersini is right to suggest the review, which leads to referee Sozza disallowing the Udinese goal against Napoli.

“When Lucumi had a hand on David’s back in Bologna-Juventus, the intensity was not enough to warrant a penalty, so the correct decision was made. We raised the bar for giving penalties for a push and this falls well below it.”