The appointment of Fabio Maresca for the Italian Cup final was no surprise: the Neapolitan whistleblower, among the best this season even if he was stopped for errors in Roma-Bologna and only returned to Serie B in Pisa-Sudtirol, he was deliberately kept at rest during the last matchday of the championship. Authoritarian but always willing to dialogue, he rarely loses his bearings on the pitch but let’s see how he fared last night at the Olimpico.
Maresca’s history with Juventus and Atalanta
With the Bianconeri the previous ones were 17 per a record of 11 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats (last time in the derby with Torino on 10 April) while the Dea had refereed 15 times with 9 Bergamo victories, 4 draws and only two defeats.
The referee booked five players
Assisted by assistants Bindoni and Tegoni, with Mariani IV man, Marini at Var and Di Paolo at Avar, the referee booked five players, including two from Allegri’s team: Hien (A), Vlahovic (J), Djimsiti (A), Bremer (J), Toloi (A). Recovery time: 2′ time, 6′ time.
Juventus-Atalanta, the slow-motion cases
These are the dubious episodes. In the 4th minute Cambiaso goes vertically to Vlahovic, who is in front of Hien but is kept in play by Djimsiti: he is not offside, regular goal. In the 10th minute Chiesa fell to the ground at the edge of the defensive area due to contact with Pasalic. Per Maresca everything is in order, protests from the player. First yellow card in the 16th minute, it’s for Hien who knocks out Chiesa, who was early. In the 21st minute a corner was not given to Juventus with Vlahovic not reacting well. Referee’s error. In the 54th minute Hien pushes Vlahovic and comes into contact with the Serbian’s knee in the area. For Maresca there is no penalty among the protests of the Bianconeri. Pasalic lacks a yellow card and holds Rabiot back in the 54th minute. Immediately afterwards, tempers flare up. Brawl on the pitch which however was calmed down shortly after, Vlahovic was booked for protesting.
In the 73rd minute Cambiaso catches Vlahovic who heads past Carnesecchi. Goal disallowed due to offside after the intervention of Var, the assistant had not reported anything. Djimsiti was booked in the 78th minute and was late on Vlahovic, causing a foul. In the 84th minute Milik went down in the area hit by Djimsiti, it would have been a penalty but the Pole had started offside. A minute later Toloi tramples Yildiz who was still on the ground, brief consultation by the VAR for a possible red card. Maresca on the other hand doesn’t even whistle a foul. In the 89th minute Bremer received a yellow card for wasting time. Allegri was finally sent off in the 96th minute for vehement protests against the referee.
For Cesari Juventus lacks a penalty
Graziano Cesari provides clarity. The Mediaset moviolista speaks to Canale 5 and starts from the penalty claimed by the Bianconeri: “In the 53rd minute, at 1-0 for Juve, Vlahovic enters the area and falls. Intervention with Hien’s knee that goes on Vlahovic’s back knee. Maresca is late, Mariani tells Allegri that it is shoulder-to-shoulder contact, but someone who is in front of the monitor cannot fail to intervene. Hien was clearly yellow: Gasperini then replaces him.” On the red card he then explains to Allegri: “There was something that didn’t work in Maresca’s refereeing. On the occasion of his expulsion, Allegri took off his jacket and cursed first at the referee and then at the fourth official. He then clarified with Rocchi at the end of the match, in a more relaxed atmosphere also thanks to the victory.” The Atalanta-Juventus referee was disappointing overall.
