The AIA (Italian Referees Association) confirms the disallowed goals in Atalanta–Roma and Milan–Napoli were correct decisions, although VAR did over-reach and break protocol in Bergamo.
The two goals caused a huge amount of controversy over the weekend in Serie A, with coaches Gian Piero Gasperini and Stefano Pioli protesting this was an unfair and excessive interpretation of the active offside rule.
In both cases, the goals were disallowed because of offside positions from players not touching the ball, in Bergamo Jose Luis Palomino and at San Siro it was Olivier Giroud.
They were considered active, and the AIA has now confirmed via Sky Sport Italia that these were the right decisions, because they were in physical contact with the defender trying to clear the ball.
That is enough to consider them to be interfering with play, as Palomino had his hand on Bryan Cristante’s back as the Roma midfielder turned into his own net.
As for Giroud, he was lying underneath Juan Jesus after they tangled, but did move his legs in such a way as to even to a small degree interfere with the Napoli defender’s clearance, later turned in by Franck Kessie.
The only error in these two incidents was made by the VAR in Bergamo, because he did not advise the referee to have an on-field review.
VAR can only make decisions that are objective, such as an offside position or whether a foul is inside or outside the penalty area.
The Video Assistant Referee does not have the power to judge whether an offside position is active or passive.
It is suggested the VAR thought Palomino had touched the ball, in which case that is an even bigger error, because replays show no contact.