Serie A returned with a bang after the international break, with several of the top teams dropping points.
Roma, Inter and Milan all failed to win, but Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both broke their ducks.
Add in some VAR controversy and it’s like the Italian top flight was never away. Here’s what we learned in Week 4.
Serie A returned with a bang after the international break, with several of the top teams dropping points.
Roma, Inter and Milan all failed to win, but Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both broke their ducks.
Add in some VAR controversy and it’s like the Italian top flight was never away. Here’s what we learned in Week 4.
VAR-cical scenes
Serie A had had Video Assistant Referees for over a year, and Italian officials were drafted in to explain the process at the World Cup.
While the video technology has brought positives, this weekend was not a good advert for VAR.
During Inter’s defeat to Parma on Saturday afternoon, referee Gianluca Manganiello ignored protocol by not watching a replay of a potential handball by Federico Dimarco.
Nerazzurri goalkeeper Samir Handanovic also complained that the referee didn’t watch a replay of the Ducali goal, where he claimed an offside player was blocking his view.
Roberto Gagliardini could have walked for a studs-up tackle in that very same game, while Torino President Urbano Cairo was furious about Alex Berenguer’s disallowed goal at Udinese.
Referee Paolo Valeri stopped the play when the linesman flagged for offside, meaning the tight call couldn’t be reviewed after Berenguer headed in.
More than a year after its introduction, officials shouldn’t be making such basic VAR mistakes.
Napoli banish Fiorentina demons
It was striking to hear Napoli midfielder Allan admit before Saturday’s match that he and his teammates were out for revenge after the 3-0 defeat which cost them the Scudetto in April.
It was a tough test for Carlo Ancelotti and his team, who had lost to Sampdoria before the international break.
In front of a half-empty San Paolo it was a slog, but Lorenzo Insigne eventually broke through the Viola wall to give Napoli what could be a crucial win.
With the other big sides dropping points, we’re left with Juventus and Napoli leading the way after four weeks – sound familiar?
We won’t see Douglas Costa for a while
Douglas Costa is one of the most exciting footballers in Serie A – quick, skilful and possessed of a powerful shot.
To see him at his best is a joy for any calcio fan, but yesterday was the Brazilian at his absolute worst.
Costa could have seen red three times in a bizarre running battle with Federico Di Francesco, having barged the Sassuolo man to the floor and then aimed a headbutt at him.
The latter transgression earned a yellow card, but when VAR caught the winger spitting on his opponent he was rightly shown a straight red.
The Juventus man will face a lengthy ban, and rightly so.
Can Europe save Roma?
If Eusebio Di Francesco’s first season as Roma Coach was widely viewed as a success, it was largely thanks to a thrilling run to the Champions League semi-final.
The Giallorossi finished 18 points behind champions Juventus, while Torino eliminated them in the Last 16 of the Coppa Italia.
We’re only four games into the new season, but it appears Di Francesco may need another European run to avoid his place on the bench being cast into doubt.
His side blew a two goal lead against Chievo on Sunday, meaning they’ve won only one of their opening games.
A good start to the Champions League would cast things in a different light, and the Lupi go to the Bernabeu on Wednesday to face Real Madrid.
No pressure then…
Gattuso could be in trouble
Gennaro Gattuso was rightly lauded for the salvage job he did with Milan after replacing Vincenzo Montella last season.
While his previous coaching career didn’t make for great reading, it appeared he was the perfect fit at San Siro, bringing his winning mentality to the club he loves.
On Sunday night though the Rossoneri struggled to a draw at Cagliari, leaving them just outside the relegation zone on four points.
Milan have played a game fewer than most of the other teams in the division, and any talk of sacking Gattuso now would be ridiculous.
However, if you include the finale to last season, the Diavolo have won just four of their last 13 in Serie A, and that’s a record Ringhio will have to correct quickly.