In the 83rd minute of a tense 0-0 match between Juventus and Lazio, a controversial incident involving Douglas Luiz and Patric went unnoticed by match officials. The Brazilian midfielder appeared to strike Patric with either a punch or an elbow, an action that many believe warranted a red card for violent conduct.
Calciomercato report how Referee Sacchi missed the incident, and surprisingly, VAR official Di Paolo did not intervene. This oversight has raised questions about the effectiveness and consistency of VAR implementation in Serie A.
Former Serie A referee Gianpaolo Calvarese commented on the incident via Instagram: “Douglas Luiz was let off. The gesture against Patric in the area was ugly, at least deserving a yellow card. The images don’t clarify the intensity of the blow; if the referee had shown a red card, VAR wouldn’t have intervened.”
Lazio’s sporting director Angelo Fabiani expressed his frustration to Sky Sports: “Douglas Luiz punches Patric, but VAR doesn’t intervene. They don’t see it, yet the images are there. The same Douglas makes a studs-up challenge on Rovella, and again nothing… If this is VAR, then it should be abolished. It’s causing damage this year.”
The incident may face further scrutiny from the league’s disciplinary committee. There’s a possibility that Douglas Luiz could face a retroactive suspension, potentially causing him to miss Juventus’ upcoming crucial match against Inter Milan.
