Serie A have appointed Marco Guida— a referee from the Naples space— as assistant VAR for Inter vs Lazio.
Why Is Marco Guida’s Position in Inter vs Lazio So Controversial?
Guida hails from Pompei, simply exterior Naples, and has beforehand acknowledged he wouldn’t officiate Napoli matches as a consequence of potential accusations of bias and concern for his household’s security.
That public stance, nonetheless, has finished little to defend him from scrutiny from Inter followers now that he finds himself concerned in a match that might majorly affect Napoli’s title probabilities.
Provided that Inter trails Napoli by only one level with two video games to go, any controversial choice on this recreation may dramatically alter the result of the Serie A title race.
What Position Does Assistant VAR Play in Serie A?
Whereas Guida will not be the lead VAR official, his duties as assistant VAR (AVAR) nonetheless embrace actively reviewing incidents, serving to decide whether or not an on-field evaluate (OFR) is critical, and advising on essential choices.
In a title race that’s so tightly contested, marginal calls equivalent to penalty checks, offside judgments, or potential pink playing cards can form the top consequence.
For that motive, followers have voiced concern over perceived conflicts of curiosity, particularly given Guida’s earlier admissions concerning his ties to the area.
When Is Inter vs Lazio?
The Inter vs Lazio match takes place on Sunday, Might 18, kicking off at 20:45 CET, the identical as the remainder of Serie A’s penultimate spherical of fixtures to make sure aggressive equity.
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Napoli (78 factors) will play away at Parma on the identical time.
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Inter Milan (77 factors) host Lazio, who’re themselves chasing a top-four end.
With just one level separating the highest two sides, a win for Inter and a Napoli slip-up would swing the title race heading into the ultimate matchday.
For a full breakdown of all of the doable situations—together with the title battle, European locations, and relegation—take a look at our full Serie A permutations information.
Marco Guida Beforehand Requested To not Officiate Napoli Matches
In a latest interview with Radio CRC, Guida brazenly acknowledged that he and fellow Neapolitan referee Fabio Maresca had requested to not oversee Napoli fixtures.
Their reasoning was not nearly impartiality, however private security—acknowledging that controversial choices may endanger their households in Naples.
That admission now seems at odds with Serie A’s choice to position Guida in a pivotal match impacting Napoli’s title hopes, prompting renewed backlash on-line and throughout Italian media.
How Has Serie A Responded to the Marco Guida Criticism?
On the time of writing, Serie A has not issued a public response to the considerations. Nonetheless, the refereeing appointments for Week 37 had been confirmed by the Lega Serie A and stay unchanged:
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Inter vs Lazio – Referee: Daniele Chiffi, VAR: Marco Di Paolo, Assistant VAR; Marco Guida
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Parma vs Napoli – Referee: Daniele Doveri, VAR: Valerio Marini
What Occurs If Napoli and Inter End Degree on Factors?
Ought to Napoli and Inter end stage on factors in spite of everything 38 rounds, Serie A’s new title play-off rule would come into impact. Launched in 2022, the regulation dictates:
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A one-off play-off match will decide the champion
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No additional time—if tied after 90 minutes, the match will go straight to penalties
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The membership with the higher objective distinction over the season earns the appropriate to host the match
May Marco Guida Be Eliminated From VAR Duties Earlier than the Match?
As of now, there’s no indication that Guida will probably be reassigned, although the stress could drive Serie A’s hand within the coming days.
Serie A Week 37 Referees
- Cagliari vs Venezia (Luca Pairetto, VAR Francesco Meraviglia)
- Fiorentina vs Bologna (Luca Zufferli, VAR Matteo Gariglio)
- Genoa vs Atalanta (Davide Ghersini, VAR Federico Dionisi)
- Inter vs Lazio (Daniele Chiffi, VAR Marco Di Paolo)
- Juventus vs Udinese (Giovanni Ayroldi, VAR Ivano Pezzuto)
- Lecce vs Torino (Antonio Rapuano, VAR Daniele Paterna)
- Monza vs Empoli (Livio Marinelli, VAR Michael Fabbri)
- Parma vs Napoli (Daniele Doveri, VAR Valerio Marini)
- Roma vs Milan (Marco Piccinini, VAR Paulo Silvio Mazzoleni)
- Verona vs Como (Rosario Abisso, VAR Federico La Penna)
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