Milan's late penalty raises eyebrows as VAR review sparks debate

Controversial Milan Penalty Under VAR Scrutiny

Italian referee analyst Luca Marelli agreed with Fiorentina's protests that Milan's late penalty was outside the VAR protocol, as it did not represent a clear and obvious error.

The moment proved pivotal not only for the match but for Serie A standings, with Milan's 2-1 victory sending them to the top of the table.

The action unfolded at San Siro when Milan striker Santiago Gimenez went down clutching his face after Fabiano Parisi touched his shoulder, and the referee initially allowed play to continue before reviewing the incident on the pitch side monitor.

After watching again, the official awarded a penalty which Rafael Leao converted, sealing a hard fought 2-1 win for Milan.

Fiorentina protested that the decision exceeded the clear and obvious threshold, a view Marelli echoed on DAZN Italia.

Marelli said that there was not a real shirt tug, just Parisi's hand on Gimenez's neck. In his view, if the decision had stood on the field, you might feel wronged, but you must accept it.

He added that if the on field decision had stood and there had been no review, there would be no reason to check the footage; in his view, the use of VAR in this moment was outside protocol.

The episode was likened to a similar moment earlier this season when Juventus beat Inter 4-3, where a hand on the shoulder during the build up was not deemed enough to review, yet a late goal stood and Juventus earned a 90+1 winner.

The Milan coach Stefano Pioli was unhappy with both the decision and the VAR call, telling DAZN that Fiorentina has invested in the project but results did not reflect that effort.

On refereeing, Marelli argued that VAR should intervene only for clear and obvious errors, leaving room for debate when judgments are close.

Season overview: Milan has started with cup success, a rough league opener, and a run of wins that has lifted them to the top of the standings with a 16 point tally after several rounds, though they have faced matches against Juventus and Fiorentina along the way.

Christian Pulisic is Milan's top scorer with four goals and two assists, while Luka Modric remains a key presence in both defense and attack despite his age.

Punchline 1: If VAR were a sniper, its shots would always land on the goal line — just never when you celebrate.

Punchline 2: The only thing sharper than Milan's next counter is the referee's decision after a replay, delivering drama you can bank on.