Former FIGC prosecutor reveals missing VAR conversation from Juventus’ controversial 2018 win over Inter

Date: 3rd May 2020 at 3:18pm
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Former FIGC prosecutor Giuseppe Pecoraro has revealed that crucial records of a VAR conversation during Juventus’ controversial win over Inter during the 2017/18 season went missing.

With Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli then mounting a serious Scudetto charge, La Vecchia Signora travelled to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza at the end of April needing a win.

Juve initially led through Douglas Costa before Matias Vecino was dismissed as Daniele Orsato consulted VAR.

Mauro Icardi and an Andrea Barzagli own goal then turned the game on it’s head as Inter took a 2-1 lead.

Juventus did come back to lead 3-2, but Orsato opted not to send off Miralem Pjanic, which led to Pecoraro opening an investigation.

The incident in question technically couldn’t have seen VAR intervene however, as it would have been a second bookable offence for the Bosnian.

“It was Daniele Orsato’s officiating of Inter-Juventus that led to me having tension with the officials,” Pecoraro told Il Mattino.

“I had received complaints about his performance from various associations and fans’ groups and while I didn’t think we’d find anything done in bad faith, I tried to open an investigation to be sure.

“I asked the AIA [Italy’s Referees’ Association] and then Lega Serie A if I could listen to the dialogue between the VAR official and referee from game.

“I had to insist. What kind of a federal prosecutor would I have been if I didn’t?

“They only gave the files to us at the start of the next [2018/19] season, but there was a surprise awaiting us.

“We opened up the file and the one piece that hadn’t been recorded was the only one we were interested in. It was that conversation between Orsato and the VAR official from when Pjanic wasn’t sent off.

“Their reasoning? They just told me it wasn’t there.

“We need more transparency.”

Napoli went on to accumulate 91 points but still come up short of Juventus’ 95, making the Partenopei the only team to ever surpass 90 points and not win the Scudetto.

 

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