Entertainment, goals, surprises, and controversies marked the seventh round of Serie A. The action unfolded in Florence, where an extraordinary De Gea thwarted Fonseca’s Milan with two saved penalties, denying Theo Hernandez and Abraham. Maignan also saved a penalty from Kean in a match filled with unexpected twists, ignited by a magical goal from former Rossonero Adli, equalized by a stunning volley from Pulisic, and sealed with a precise strike from Gudmundsson twenty minutes from the end. Three penalties were awarded in Florence, one via VAR, while none were given in Monza, prompting Roma’s grievances. For the first time under Friedkin’s ownership, a club official spoke to the media post-match to demand respect.
Monza-Roma was a lackluster affair compared to the spectacle in Florence, but the controversial decision to not award a penalty for a foul on Baldanzi two minutes before the final whistle is sure to spark debate. The clear step on the Roma player is evident, and the failure of VAR official Aureliano to rectify La Penna’s on-field interpretation is puzzling. This oversight seems like a far clearer penalty than the three awarded in Florence by Pairetto. The ongoing discussion regarding officiating standards in Serie A threatens to undermine the credibility of the system, especially in an era where technological support should aim to objectify events and limit interpretive subjectivity.
Controversy also arose in Turin, where Juventus was surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Cagliari. The penalty awarded to the islanders, which leveled the score two minutes from 90′, appeared fairly obvious, but Juventus protested the lack of a penalty just two minutes later for a foul on Conceicao, who was instead booked for simulation by referee Marinelli. While the absence of a penalty may be justifiable, the yellow card—his second—leading to a sending-off seems excessive. It’s important to note that in such cases, VAR cannot intervene regarding yellow cards, as it lacks the authority to correct such decisions, even if they lead to red cards.
Finally, Lazio pulled off a comeback victory against Empoli, winning 2-1, thanks to a decisive goal from Pedro five minutes from time. The match was also marked by yet another missed penalty in this round of Serie A, this time by Lazio’s Castellanos.
