Controversial Moments Mar Empoli vs. Milan Serie A Clash

The Serie A match between Empoli and Milan was marred by several contentious incidents that sparked debate over refereeing decisions and VAR protocols. Early in the game, Empoli’s Liberato Cacace made a risky challenge on Milan’s Kyle Walker that some felt warranted a red card. However, after VAR review, no further action was taken beyond a yellow card.

Later, Milan defender Fikayo Tomori received a second yellow card for a foul, despite replays showing the play was offside. Due to VAR protocol limitations, the video review system was unable to intervene on the yellow card decision, leaving Milan down to 10 men.

In another incident, Empoli’s Luca Marianucci was shown a straight red card after VAR review revealed he had intentionally kicked out at Milan’s Santiago Gimenez in retaliation for a push. Gimenez received a yellow card for the initial provocation.

The match highlighted ongoing debates around the scope of VAR intervention and consistency in applying disciplinary decisions. While technology aims to reduce errors, the Empoli-Milan clash demonstrated there are still gray areas in how video review is utilized in Serie A.