Massa was not going through a happy moment as he had returned discreetly (albeit with some errors) in Empoli-Turin after a bad period (uncertain in the Italian Cup in Juve-Lazio after two serious errors in Real-Leipzig of the Champions League and Fiorentina-Roma ) is that he hadn’t convinced in Sassuolo-Milan. Rocchi, however, did not punish him, appointing him for the match at the Olimpico, let’s see how the Ligurian whistle fared yesterday.
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Massa’s history with Lazio and Verona
Massa had managed the Biancocelesti 28 times, this is the score: 11 wins, 6 draws and 10 knockouts. For the Ligurian referee, three directions for Lazio in the current season: defeat at Milan; Lazio-Roma 0-0; 2-0 for Juventus in Turin in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final. Furthermore, he had already managed a Lazio-Verona match dating back to 22 March 2015. That evening the Eagles won 2-0 thanks to goals from Felipe Anderson and Candreva. On the other hand, there have been 16 precedents against the Scala team: the score is 6 successes, 5 draws and as many defeats.
The referee cautioned 8 players
Assisted by assistants Costanzo and Passeri with IV Officer Tremolada, to VAR Pairetto and AVAR Doveri, the referee cautions eight players: 38` Romagnoli (L), 49` Casale (L), 71` Duda (H), 71` Luis Alberto (L), 74` Cabal (H), 86` Coppola (H ), 90`+2` Noslin (H), 90’+4′ Zaccagni (L). Recovery: 1` pt, 4` st.
Lazio-Verona, slow motion cases
These are the dubious episodes. In the 20th minute complaints from Lazio for an alleged foul on Casale’s attacking midfield on Noslin. Massa thinks about it and then blows the whistle: the Olimpico doesn’t agree. In the 35th minute Lazio asks for a penalty: Guendouzi runs towards the goal, Serdar cuts him off from behind, pushing him and making him fall to the ground. For Massa everything is good, the players on the pitch protest loudly. The first yellow was given in the 38th minute for Romagnoli, guilty of a mid-field foul on Swiderwski. In the 41st minute, Cabal made a tough intervention on Luis Alberto but the referee lets it go. In the 49th minute the hosts also protested against Casale’s warning who pulled Swiderski down by the shirt while shortly afterwards he left the yellow card in his pocket after a bad tackle by Serdar on Kamada. In the 61st minute another blunder from Massa. Felipe Anderson anticipates Folorunsho in the tackle by clearly touching the ball. However, the referee stops the game and whistles for the foul amid protests from the fans.
In the 68th minute, first Suslov and then Tchatchoua brought Zaccagni down hard from behind. For Massa it was a foul on both occasions, but he didn’t penalize. In the 71st minute Duda provokes Luis Alberto by throwing the ball at him and asking him for distance. The Spaniard, however, takes advantage of the situation and shoots towards goal from midfield to surprise Montipò. For Massa, however, only the reaction of the two counts, not the free kick. Before letting the players reply he warns the players. At 83′ possible handball in the penalty area by Noslin on Hysaj’s cross. For Massa everything is good, and this time he chooses well: the Verona striker took the ball with his chest. In the 84th minute Lazio asked for a penalty again after the foul called by Massa on the edge of the area. The contact between Cabal and Pedro, however, occurs just outside the line. The referee’s decision was correct, but the second yellow card was not given to the Verona full-back who should have been sent off. In the 90th minute Centonze pulls down Kamada who was entering the penalty area. Massa’s whistle corrected, but the yellow card for a Verona player is (still) missing. In recovery two more warnings for protests.
For Marelli there was red in Cabal
Luca Marelli clarifies this. The Dazn expert starts from the dubious contact between Serdar and Guendouzi which created protests on the Lazio side: «Serdar on Guendouzi? There is a high contact, a pushed lightness. If there had been a low contact, there could have been a VAR intervention. The French as soon as he is pushed he lets himself fall in the penalty area. Correct choice by Massa.” Then he focuses on the episode in the final minutes of Lazio-Verona. Cabal fouls Pedro on the edge of the area, Massa whistles the free kick but does not warn the Scaliger defender who had already received the yellow card. This is Marelli’s analysis: “The interpretation of the foul is correct, it was outside the penalty area and therefore no penalty. However, the second warning is missing given that it was a potentially dangerous action.”
