Repubblica: Fabbri to serve VAR ban after Nkunku debacle but can still referee

Suspensions will be handed out to two officials after the farce during AC Milan’s win over Bologna, a report has claimed.

As La Repubblica (via MilanPress) reports, we have only had three games in Serie A so far and yet refereeing is at the centre of discussion already. The overturned penalty call on Christopher Nkunku has been widely criticised in the media, and there will be repercussions.

The paper claims that the referee Marcenaro will observe a normal rotation, so will not take charge of a Serie A game next weekend. Fabbri – who was in charge of VAR for Sunday evening’s match – will be suspended for two matches, but will be able to return to the pitch to referee.

The incriminating incident

The on-field review of the penalty initially awarded to Milan for Freuler’s foul on Nkunku is the incident that has caused all this, which was later ruled not a penalty by the referee upon review.

The problem is that Lucumi’s first foul – one that should have been punished with a red card – was not shown to the on-field referee. This didn’t sit well with the AIA (Italian Referee Association) and they have decided to act.

This isn’t the first incident involving referee Fabbri and Milan. Last season, he took charge of the Rossoneri twice in Serie A: in the away match against Cagliari, he wasn’t called for an on-field review to disallow Zortea’s goal for Luvumbo’s offside. In a home match against Roma, he didn’t spot a foul by Pisilli in the Roma penalty area on Reijnders.