Italian VAR official Marco Di Bello faced scrutiny during the Champions League semi-final clash between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. However, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules provide justification for his decision.
The 44-year-old Italian referee was stationed in the VAR booth for the second leg of the semi-final at the Allianz Arena in Munich, following a high-scoring encounter in Paris the previous week.
Di Bello’s Role in the Champions League
Di Bello’s judgment drew criticism from Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany and the club’s supporters when he chose not to recommend an on-field review after the ball appeared to strike Joao Neves on his extended arm. The on-field referee, Portugal’s Joao Pinheiro, also did not award a penalty and, after consulting with Di Bello, play continued.
This incident sparked considerable debate in the media and within the stadium. Nevertheless, IFAB’s established rules indicate that Di Bello was correct in not advising a review.
The key factor is that the ball was struck towards Joao Neves’ arm by his own teammate, Vitinha.
In their efforts to provide clarity on handball offenses, IFAB incorporated an exception into the Laws of the Game. This specific clause states that it is not a handling violation if a player is “hit on the hand/arm by the ball which has been played by a team-mate (unless the ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal or the player scores immediately afterwards, in which case a direct free-kick is awarded to the other team).”
Furthermore, in an earlier handball incident involving Nuno Mendes, where PSG were seeking a second yellow card for the defender, Di Bello was unable to intervene. VAR officials are not permitted to review bookings unless they are potential straight red card offenses.
English Translation and Rewritten Text:
Why Italian VAR Di Bello Was Correct in the Controversial Bayern Munich vs. PSG Decision
Italian VAR official Marco Di Bello found himself under intense criticism during the Champions League semi-final match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. However, an examination of the IFAB rules demonstrates that his decision was indeed correct.
The 44-year-old Italian official was overseeing the match from the video assistant referee booth for the second leg at the Allianz Arena in Munich, which followed a thrilling 5-4 encounter in Paris the week prior.
Di Bello Represents Italy in Champions League
Di Bello’s judgment angered Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany and the club’s fanbase when he decided against intervening after the ball clearly struck Joao Neves on his outstretched arm. The on-field referee, Portugal’s Joao Pinheiro, had also not signaled for a penalty on the play. He awaited confirmation from Di Bello, who advised to continue play.
This situation ignited a significant amount of controversy across media outlets and within the stadium itself. However, the IFAB rules support Di Bello’s decision not to recommend an on-field review.
The reasoning behind this is that the ball was played by PSG teammate Vitinha directly onto Joao Neves’ arm.
To clarify handball regulations, IFAB added a specific condition to the laws of the game. It states that a handling offense does not occur if a player is “hit on the hand/arm by the ball which has been played by a team-mate (unless the ball goes directly into the opponents’ goal or the player scores immediately afterwards, in which case a direct free-kick is awarded to the other team).”
Regarding another handball incident earlier in the game, where Nuno Mendes was involved and PSG were seeking a second yellow card, Di Bello could not get involved. VAR officials are not authorized to review bookings unless the infraction warrants a direct red card.