Roma’s sporting director, Florent Ghisolfi, has voiced the Friedkin ownership’s frustration with Italian referees in a scathing interview with Corriere dello Sport. Ghisolfi’s comments reflect the club’s growing discontent with what they perceive as unfair treatment by match officials.
“This season, Roma has suffered seven confirmed refereeing injustices, acknowledged by major national publications and television replays,” Ghisolfi began. “In none of these seven instances did the referee resort to video review. If the incidents had been reviewed by VAR, the final results would almost certainly have been different.”
Ghisolfi expressed agreement with Antonio Conte’s recent criticisms of VAR implementation. “We no longer accept this kind of errors and demand respect from the refereeing class and institutions, especially in a historical period where potential mistakes can be ‘corrected’ by technology. We want to play football of our time, not that of absolute subjectivity, and we believe that the protocol must be updated and made unassailable.”
The sporting director didn’t mince words when describing the situation: “Shameless. I think of when some insiders publicly stated that refereeing at the Olimpico, in an always-full stadium, didn’t help the match official. I’ve only been here for a few months, but I’ve reviewed the American management’s history. We only worry about ourselves and hope that, being good, kind, and often silent, someone doesn’t enjoy stepping on our toes.”
Ghisolfi highlighted the potential long-term impacts of refereeing errors: “Refereeing errors and malfunctions of this magnitude risk compromising an entire season and producing serious economic damage. I’ll give an example that Roma fans have never forgotten: what would have happened to Roma and the club’s finances if referee Taylor had awarded that clear penalty for Fernando’s handball? That error changed our history and our present.”
Regarding the Friedkin ownership, Ghisolfi stated, “They will return to Rome soon; they have chosen to fight. Ranieri has brought a breath of fresh air. Dan and Ryan are not afraid of dissent and know how to take responsibility. They didn’t appreciate it, of course… The intention is to improve the team as early as January; the settlement agreement constraints are no longer so penalizing.”
Addressing a recent controversial match, Ghisolfi commented, “Yellow for the first foul on Celik and a straight red, not a second yellow, on Svilar. Roma has always respected referees and institutions but has not been repaid in kind. How will the refereeing class take it? Well, if they understand that Roma is exclusively asking for fairness, uniformity, justice, and more VAR.”
