The disallowance of Udinese's last-minute equalizer against Milan sparked considerable confusion, prompting an examination of the VAR protocol in such instances. At the time, the Rossoneri were leading 1-0, thanks to a goal from Samuel Chukwueze, despite being reduced to ten men. Christian Kabasele found the net by nodding in a rebound from a parried effort by Jurgen Ekkelenkamp.

After an extensive delay, VAR summoned referee Daniele Chiffi for an On-Field Review, leading him to rule the goal offside. The confusion stemmed from the fact that offside calls are typically straightforward and can often be adjudicated by VAR without necessitating a review at the monitor. However, when assessing whether an offside position interferes with play, the referee must make that determination.

In this particular scenario, the chaotic sequence created ambiguity. Before Ekkelenkamp's shot reached Kabasele, it had grazed the head of Strahinja Pavlovic. If the Milan defender had deliberately played the ball rather than merely deflected it, it could have nullified the offside call. Additionally, Ekkelenkamp's positioning might have influenced Pavlovic’s decision to intervene, further complicating the referee's assessment. Ultimately, the VAR had confirmed that Ekkelenkamp was indeed offside, having established that his toes were ahead of the last defender.

Football Multiplier