Atalanta intends to lodge an appeal following the two-match suspension of their manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, which arose from controversy during their recent match against AC Milan. The ban came as a result of an incident where a penalty was not awarded to Atalanta’s Marten De Roon.
The club swiftly made its intentions clear through an official announcement.
The announcement from Atalanta FC read, “Having taken note of the punishment meted out by the Sporting Judge to Mr. Gian Piero Gasperini, we will preemptively file an appeal to obtain official documents on the basis of which this decision is founded. Moreover, we will pursue all appropriate initiatives considering the field incidents preceding our coach’s expulsion, particularly the lack of VAR intervention for the penalty offence suffered by player Marten De Roon.”
The statement refers to an incident where De Roon, following a collision with a Milan player, remained grounded causing considerable concern among the team and staff. The tension felt by the team was later justified by a subsequent diagnosis revealing a cranial trauma for De Roon.
The club’s decision to challenge the decision underscores their stance that the failure of VAR to intervene for De Roon’s penalty had a significant impact on the match, inevitably leading to Gasperini’s expulsion.
The appeal promises to reignite debates about VAR use in the sport, especially in situations where potential penalties are concerned.