The first for a Toro match for Marcenaro’s whistle, who directed the Castellani match against Empoli which finished 2-2
In a season that is seeing several referee debuts, Matteo Marcenaro is also a new entry: eighth overall in the top flight, for the first time he officiated a match for Torino. Castellani’s match was rather calm and practically devoid of particularly controversial episodes, the direction of the 30-year-old referee of the AIA section of Genoa was quite easy and conducted along decidedly permissive tracks (but with uniform yardstick). The referee barely noticed and this is usually a positive sign but in the 15th minute a hold by Ricci on Baldanzi could have resulted in the first yellow card of the match (only the free kick was called) as well as a touch of the arm by Cacace at the 22′. Regulating Luperto’s goal who in the 37th minute did not commit any fouls as he jumped to head the grenade area, Milinkovic-Savic’s protests were in vain. In the 43rd minute the assignment of a throw-in for the benefit of the grenade was wrong.
Second half decisions
In the 63rd minute the first booking came for Akpa Akpro who belt Buongiorno in offensive projection. In the 75th minute Miranchuk goes down in the Empoli area after contact with De Winter, the referee lets them continue (choice also endorsed by the VAR after the check): there seems to be a “high” but minor contact. In the 77th minute Bajrami was also booked, who lands Ricci on the edge of the area. For Marcenaro it was the eighth direct match in Serie A (seven draws!), for the second time he managed Empoli while yesterday’s match against Turin represented his absolute debut.
