Milan s penalty kick victory leads to top spot: in-depth analysis of foul controversy and the rationality of VAR intervention

In the just-concluded Serie A highlight match, AC Milan defeated Fiorentina 2-1 with Rafael Leo's 86th-minute penalty kick and successfully topped the Serie A standings. However, behind this victory, there was a fierce controversy about penalty kicks and VAR intervention standards. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of this key event that determines the direction of the game from multiple dimensions.

Review of the incident: Parisi’s contact with Jimenez and VAR’s change of decision

At the 86th minute of the game, the score at San Siro Stadium was tied at 1-1. AC Milan forward Santiago Jimenez goes down while being defended by Fiorentina defender Fabiano Parisi. Referee Livio Marinelli initially signaled play to continue and no foul was called.

However, the video assistant referee system (VAR) later intervened and asked the referee to review the video. After three minutes of review and analysis, Marinelli converted the penalty kick. The replay showed that Parisi first made contact with Jimenez's left arm during defense, and then slid his hand to the opponent's face while making a slight pulling motion.

Rafael Leo made a penalty kick, sealing the victory for AC Milan. This penalty directly affected the result of the game and also enabled the Rossoneri to take the lead in the standings.

Experts have different opinions: Does slight contact constitute a penalty foul?

Position against the penalty

Graziano Cesari clearly stated: "The referee Marinelli is in a good position, but he always looks confused. He waited 90 seconds to check VAR, and then spent another three minutes looking back at the video. Parisi's first contact It touched Jimenez's left arm, and then his hand slid to the opponent's face. In my opinion, this was a very slight contact. From Marinelli's perspective (he saw the whole process clearly), you can understand the insignificance of this contact."

Cesari further emphasized: "I will tell you directly. : The Italian Referees Association (AIA) will not approve this penalty, and this VAR intervention will be regarded as a misjudgment. "

Support the reasonableness of the penalty.

Sandro Sabatini held a different view: "What was punished was not the contact with the face, but Luca Ranieri put his hand into Jimenez's collar and pulled him. In my opinion this is a penalty that may or may not be awarded, but the issue must be analyzed from that perspective. "

Procedural questioning of VAR intervention: Is it a violation of the technical agreement?

Referee expert Luca Marelli raised a more fundamental question about this incident: "This is not even a real pull on the jersey, just Parisi's hand on Jimenez's neck. I think if a penalty kick is awarded on the spot, it will be aggrieved but acceptable. However, when the referee witnessed the scene But there is no sufficient reason for "on-field review". This VAR intervention obviously exceeded the protocol specifications. "

According to the VAR usage agreement, VAR should only intervene to remind the referee when the referee did not see the incident and there was a clear and obvious misjudgment. The analysis pointed out that Marinelli saw the entire process at the time, and there was no obvious unpenalized foul. Therefore, there was a technical error in the VAR intervention based on the procedure.

Marelli also cited a similar case in Juventus' 4-3 victory over Inter Milan this season for comparison: At that time, the referee determined that the shoulder-to-shoulder movement during the offensive construction phase was not sufficient to constitute a requirement for VAR intervention, and his on-the-spot penalty was upheld. This comparison further highlights the inconsistency of this penalty standard.

Follow-up of the incident: Jimenez was almost sent off

The controversy did not stop at the penalty kick itself. Seconds after Parisi-Jimenez made contact, the attacker fell to the ground with his face covered, and Luca Ranieri stepped forward to scold him for what he believed was an act.

Cesari questioned this: "Jimenez lightly kicked Ranieri twice. Shouldn't these actions be punished?" Ricardo Trevisani added: "If Ranieri had fallen to the ground, Marinelli would have sent Jimenez off." This episode further deepened the controversy of the game.

The penalty has a profound impact on the structure of Serie A

This penalty kick not only determines the outcome of the game, but also has a significant impact on the Serie A standings. AC Milan successfully climbed to the top after taking all three points, occupying a favorable position in the championship competition.

From a broader perspective, this incident has once again triggered a discussion about VAR usage standards and consistency. The position of the Serie A Referees Association shows that there is still a fuzzy area in the football world as to what is a "clear and obvious error", which requires further clarification in the details of the agreement in the future.

The penalty kick controversy in the match between AC Milan and Fiorentina highlighted the complex balance between technical intervention and the referee's subjective judgment in modern football. Although AC Milan won a key victory with this goal, there are still significant differences regarding the reasonableness of Parisi's penalty for contact with Jimenez, and whether VAR intervention complies with the requirements of the agreement.

This incident once again proves that the work of football referees is far from a simple black and white judgment, but requires comprehensive consideration of the specific situation, action intensity and technical specifications within the framework of the rules. As the season progresses, the unification of standards for such disputes and penalties will be an issue that Serie A needs to focus on and solve.