Adrien Rabiot has publicly criticized the standard of officiating in Italy following a contentious match between AC Milan and Genoa.
The French international expressed his frustration on social media after being denied a clear scoring opportunity during the contest.
The incident occurred in the 50th minute while AC Milan held a 2-0 lead. As Rabiot broke away toward the Genoa goal, he was physically restrained by defender Alessandro Marcandalli.
While the Milan players and staff anticipated a red card for the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, the referee issued only a yellow card to Marcandalli. The ensuing protests from the Milan bench resulted in three staff members being sent off, while Rabiot also received a caution.
Writing on Instagram, Rabiot directly addressed the decision and the broader state of Italian officiating. “In life as in football, one can make mistakes. You must at least know how to admit them,” Rabiot stated. “Lying constantly will not move you forward. And it is Italian football that pays the consequences. Think about it.”
The officiating decision centered on the “DOGSO” criteria—the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Gianpaolo Calvarese, a former Serie A referee, analyzed the play on his Instagram account, noting that officials must evaluate four specific parameters: the possession of the ball, the general direction of the movement, the number of defenders, and the distance to the goal.
In his analysis, Calvarese explained that the referee, Fabio Maresca, likely opted for a yellow card because Rabiot was approximately 65 meters from the goal and slightly off-center when the foul occurred. Calvarese further noted that even if the referee had chosen to issue a red card, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) would not have intervened, as the decision remained within a subjective “gray area” of the rules.
Rabiot is set to return to the Italian pitch this week as part of the French national team. The squad prepares for their upcoming fixture against the Italian national team, scheduled for Thursday, November 12, at San Siro.
The debate regarding the consistency of officiating in Serie A remains active among players and analysts. Whether the league will provide further clarification on the application of the DOGSO rule in similar transition scenarios remains an open question.
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