Calvarese: "Torino v Milan? VAR is now intervening at random. They should show all the camera angles on TV"

Let’s look back at the incident that occurred around the 83rd minute of the match at San Siro.

During an attacking move by the Granata, Simeone remains on the ground following contact with Pavlovic. Play continues and Milan, on the counter-attack, come close to making it 4-1 through Ricci. Subsequently, the VAR checks the footage and calls referee Fourneau over to the monitor for an on-field review. The referee went to review the incident and identified what appeared to be an unintentional slap to the face by Pavlovic against Simeone. After carefully reviewing the incident, Fourneau informed the San Siro crowd that the challenge was a foul and therefore awarded a penalty.

"But how can you award a penalty like that? 'I’m trying to stay calm, but you’re really putting me off. I’m giving up coaching.' These were Allegri’s words after the penalty was awarded to Simeone at San Siro during the Milan v Torino match, as he stood on the touchline."

On his Instagram profile, Calvarese asks: "Was it a penalty? Listening to the live commentary, it seems the threshold for intervention has probably changed in recent months. In recent months, it would have been left to the referee’s discretion. This gives us an idea of what is happening today regarding the threshold for VAR intervention. It’s all become completely incomprehensible. VAR intervention should only occur in the presence of a clear and obvious error, with equally clear and obvious footage."

"The cameras show about five or six different angles, but we only have footage where Simeone is seen from behind; his face is never visible. In short, there isn’t a single image that unequivocally proves contact between Pavlovic’s hand and Simeone’s face. You can sense it, but it’s impossible to gauge the intensity without even seeing the incident from the front. All the images shown by VAR must also appear on TV so that everyone can see them."

"So I want to be completely honest and give my two cents. These days, the threshold for intervention – and therefore the decision on whether or not to award a penalty – seems to have become a matter of pure chance, linked to the VAR officials’ subjective interpretation of each individual incident, rather than to clear technical guidelines."