Referee Marcenaro, chosen by Rocchi for the survival match between Cagliari and Lecce, was not having an easy season. During the season he had missed several tests, with Napoli-Cagliari (when he disallowed a regular goal) and Inter-Lecce (when he made more than one mistake) and in other recent cases (Lecce-Roma at the beginning of April) but he had done well in the last outing in Fiorentina-Sassuolo last day. Marcenaro had 26 directions to his credit in Serie A, 123 yellow cards, 1 red card for a double yellow, 7 direct expulsions and 8 penalty kicks awarded, but how did the Genoese whistle fare yesterday?
Marcenaro’s precedents with Cagliari and Lecce
There were 4 meetings between Marcenaro and Cagliari, with the balance – all in the top division – of 1 draw (2021-2022 season, 0-0 at the Bentegodi against Verona) and 3 defeats in the current championship, all away ( 2-1 against Napoli at the Maradona, 4-0 against Roma at the Olimpico and 1-0 against Monza at the Brianteo). There are also four precedents in which Lecce is the protagonist – between Serie A and Serie B – with Marcenaro as first referee. In this case, the score is 1 win (2021-2022 season in the second half, 4-1 against Ternana), 2 draws (Napoli-Lecce 1-1, Serie A 2022-2023 and Lecce-Roma 0-0 in the current Serie A) and 1 defeat (Inter-Lecce 2-0 this season).
The referee cautioned seven players and sent off one
Assisted by the assistants Moro and Garzelli with Monaldi IV man, Abisso at the Var and Piccinini at the AVar, the referee booked seven players, 13′ Piccoli, 53′ Sansone, 55′ Ramadani, 64′ Scuffet, 74′ Baschirotto, 74′ Nandez, 77′ Augello, and sent off Gaetano in the 44th minute for dangerous play following a report from Abisso.
Cagliari-Lecce, slow motion cases
These are the dubious episodes. In the 14th minute, a heavy yellow card for Piccoli, who committed a bad foul on Mina: he was warned by a booking, he will miss the next match against Udinese. In the 18th minute Cagliari scores with Deiola, the referee validates but after a good minute there is a check from the VAR for a possible hand: the images confirm the incorrectness and in the end the VAR cancels the goal. In the 26th minute Cagliari scored again with Mina assisted by Gaetano and this time the goal was validated because although completely free in front of the goal he was in a regular position, kept in play by an opponent. In the 33rd minute Lecce claimed the penalty for a foul but the referee thought it was just outside the area and only awarded the free kick. In the 42nd minute Gaetano deserved a red card for a clear foul on the ankle on Ramadani, which was only a warning for the referee. He comes recalled by VAR and changes his mind: the red card arrives for the former Napoli. The match heats up, the referee risks seeing it get out of hand and Vito Pascal, one of Ranieri’s trainers, is also sent off from the bench.
Hot end of the half with a brawl barely quelled by the referee with Pongracic inviting Zappa to get up after a ball suffered previously. In the 51st minute Luvumbo asks for a penalty for a push in the area by Pongracic but for the referee everything is in order. In three minutes two more cards arrived from 54′ to 56′: first Nicola Sansone for a blow against Deiola and then for Ramadani. Continues the mystery festival: in the 64th minute it was the turn of the goalkeeper Scuffet for wasting time, in the 74th minute Baschirotto and Nandez, but it didn’t end there. First Augello, who had come on a minute ago – also booked for a booking and then for Deiola. Finally comes the goal of the Lecce equal with Krstovic, in a regular position a few steps from the goal. Good goal and Cagliari-Lecce ends 1-1.
