Maurizio Sarri calls for VAR to be 'abolished' after penalty controversy as Juventus pile misery on Atalanta

Intense fury consumed Sarri after Atalanta suffered a 2-0 defeat away to Juventus on Sunday evening. The visiting manager launched a fierce criticism of referee Luca Zufferi and the video assistant referee for overlooking Pierre Kalulu's clear shirt pull on Jonathan Rowe inside the penalty area. That unawarded spot-kick controversy compounded the visitors' misery as they left Turin empty-handed.

The shirt-pulling incident occurred while Atalanta were pushing for an equaliser following Francisco Conceicao's first-half opener. Sarri argued that the failure of match officials to review such a blatant infraction exposed the fundamental flaws of a system meant to ensure fairness on the pitch.

Blasting the match officials before reporters during his post-match press conference, Sarri insisted: "If VAR isn't used for an incident like that, it should be abolished, and we should just rely on the referee's judgment. It seemed quite clear to me; someone at VAR should at least take a look."

Beyond the officiating controversy, Sarri expressed deep disappointment over his squad's declining competitive mentality following a third straight defeat in the Italian top flight. Evaluating the lack of character and initiative within his team, Sarri said: "Too little character in seeking out one-on-one situations. We're growing technically, tactically, and physically, but not in terms of courage or initiative, and that's worrying."

The 67-year-old coach also condemned the behaviour of home ultras who disrupted the pre-match silence observed in honour of Italian football legend Sandro Mazzola. Criticising the disrespectful gestures from the stands, Sarri added: "A bad feeling, perhaps done by a generation that doesn't realise what Mazzola achieved, regardless of the shirt he wore. Paying tribute to such a figure is the least we can do."

A third successive defeat leaves Atalanta stuck in 11th place in the Serie A standings. Domestic action now halts for a three-week international break, providing essential breathing space to address their early-season woes. Sarri's men return to league duties on October 12 when they host Venezia, where securing a home victory will be paramount to halt their downward slide.