Gasperini bemoans VAR decisions in Torino stalemate

Gian Piero Gasperini criticised some of the refereeing decisions, which he believes cost Atalanta an important win in Serie A.

Atalanta spurned a chance from the penalty spot in the second half, with Torino leaving Bergamo with a 1-1 draw after Guillermo Maripan cancelled out Berat Djimsiti’s opener.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved Mateo Retegui’s 74th-minute effort from 12 yards, while Raoul Bellanova saw a goal disallowed for handball, a decision which frustrated Gasperini.

It means that Atalanta have now drawn four of their last six matches in Serie A (W1 L1), as many as they had recorded in their previous 36 outings in the competition combined.

As well as the disallowed goal, Gasperini also felt they should have had another penalty.

“There are episodes such as the penalty not given and Bellanova’s goal, they weigh because they are VAR decisions,” Gasperini told reporters.

“Today more than a little was taken from us. We need to understand who referees football matches, whether it is the one on the pitch or the one at the VAR.

“We need to focus on VAR because who referees on the field no longer counts for anything.”