Calvarese on Inter-Verona: For Fabbri it’s a significant step backwards

Former referee Gianpaolo Calvarese has spoken out about the main episodes from the game between Inter and Hellas Verona in an interview with Italian sports daily Tuttosport.

On the performance of referee Michael Fabbri, Calvarese expressed disappointment with certain decisions made during the match. “For Fabbri, it’s a poor step back. It’s a real shame because he had managed to overcome his disappointment of not being reconfirmed as an international referee,” the ex-referee stated, showing empathy for his peer.

Discussing a contentious moment involving Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, Calvarese suggested that the referee had a clear view and could have called the foul on the field even though it wasn’t an easy decision. He also criticised the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Marco Di Bello for not intervening, implying that the goal should have been disallowed as the foul occurred during the attacking possession phase (APP).

Calvarese’s assessment was that Bastoni should have been given a yellow card. Based on the footage, he believes there was no violent intent in Bastoni’s action and that the player didn’t hit the face of his opponent.