Thirty-five years old, holding dual Cypriot and Australian nationality, Theoulì Chrysovalándis has been designated for the Azzurri’s last friendly match before Euro2024, against Bosnia. During the season he directed two Conference matches and one Champions League qualifier plus another Europa League qualifier. Let’s see how she did last night.
Chrysovalándis’ precedents with Italy and Bosnia
The Cypriot referee had never before managed the national teams of Italy and Bosnia. With the Azzurri he has only one previous match at U.21 level (which on the occasion they won) and he has also refereed at club level Fiorentina-Cucaricki 6-0 in Conference last October.
The referee only cautioned one player
Assisted by compatriot assistants Michaíl Sotiríou Pétros Pétrou with the Italian Juan Luca Sacchi IV manthe referee did not warn any player of Spalletti’s national team and only one of the Bosnians: Huseinbasic (B)
Italy-Bosnia, slow motion cases
These are the dubious episodes. In the first half, two situations worth mentioning: first the referee spared Fagioli a warning for an intervention on Gigovic on the edge of the area, then Scamacca was stopped while he was being thrown towards the net in the 31st minute but the offside actually exists. In the second half the permissive line was maintained, Pellegrini was pardoned after a very hard tackle. A slow-motion episode occurs in the Bosnian area when Cambiaso goes to the ground: the images make it clear that the Juventus player falls alone, there is not the slightest contact. The only warning came only in the 93rd minute and it was for Huseinbasic who stopped Dimarco in acceleration by tripping him. Then, the same Italian justified himself to the referee for a ball thrown away when play was stopped and a warning was avoided. Italy-Bosnia thus ends 1-0.
