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‘Lichtsteiner red card’, ‘Games will last four hours’: top reactions to VAR decisions in Atalanta-Juve

‘Lichtsteiner red card’, ‘Games will last four hours’: top reactions to VAR decisions in Atalanta-Juve

Yesterday’s Serie A clash between Atalanta and Juventus ended with some referee controversies due to decisions taken with the help of VAR. Antonio Juventus scored the 3-1 with Mario Mandzukic but the decision was overturned due to a foul of Stephan Lichtsteiner and a few minutes later the bianconeri were awarded a penalty kick due to an handball of Andre Petagna that, however, is still not 100% clear.

At the end of the game Juventus and Atalanta players and managers had very different opinions on referee’s decisions.

ALLEGRI – “VAR should be used only for objective issues. If we keep using it this way, games will last three/four hours, especially in March when game with be important and every point will matter. Get ready in the stadiums because we’ll stay there for hours when the new year begins.”

GASPERINI – “Atalanta have not been helped. On the contrary I think Lichtsteiner should have been sent off as he elbowed Papu. The penalty is also not a clear one. I got really angry with Petagna because from the bench you could tell he touched the ball with his arm. But if you watch the replay it looks like he touches the ball with his shoulder. I repeat, we are not the team that was helped tonight.”

CHIELLINI – “I’ve experience and I’ve learned that I should not talk at the end of the game because I could regret what I say. We are disappointed and we are angry because we feel like we were deprived of something that belonged to us.”

GOMEZ – “If the referee saw that Lichtsteiner had elbowed me, he should have sent him off, I hope VAR will help referee more in the future.”

MASSIMO MAURO (FORMER NAPOLI AND JUVE MIDFIELDER) – “VAR can’t be used this way, it mocks football. If I were Juventus I’d sent a scout to every Serie A game now to watch what happens one minute before each goal. This is not football anymore, it’s a different football. If the referee wanted he could give Juventus the goal and send Lichtsteiner off.”