Gian Piero Gasperini Criticises VAR Decisions Following Atalanta's Draw With Torino

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Atalanta's coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, expressed dissatisfaction with the refereeing during their Serie A match against Torino. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after Guillermo Maripan equalised Berat Djimsiti's initial goal. Atalanta missed a penalty opportunity when Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved Mateo Retegui's shot. Additionally, Raoul Bellanova's goal was disallowed due to handball, which added to Gasperini's frustration.

Gasperini voiced concerns about the influence of VAR on match outcomes. He questioned whether decisions are made by the on-field referee or those managing VAR. "Today more than a little was taken from us," he stated, highlighting his belief that crucial calls went against Atalanta. He also felt another penalty should have been awarded to his team.

Atalanta have now drawn four of their last six Serie A matches, matching the number of draws from their previous 36 games combined. Despite these setbacks, Atalanta continue to perform well offensively. They lead the big five European leagues in headed goals this season with 11, surpassing Nottingham Forest's 10.

Atalanta maintained their scoring streak at home, netting at least once in their last 27 Serie A matches. Only Inter Milan have a longer current run with 33 games. In this match, Atalanta created 22 chances with an expected goals value of 2.97 compared to Torino’s five chances worth 0.58 xG.

Gasperini criticised Torino for their lack of attacking ambition despite being a strong team. "It would be hard to find an opponent in the league who managed to do so little," he remarked, noting that breaking through Torino’s defence proved challenging for Atalanta.

Injuries affected Atalanta’s lineup as forward Ademola Lookman was unavailable and goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi had to be replaced after warm-up. Gianluca Scamacca made his season debut as a late substitute but faced difficulties due to a quadriceps issue shortly after entering the field.

Scamacca had been recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained during pre-season. Gasperini commented on Scamacca’s situation: "Scamacca, unfortunately, had to stop... Let's hope it's not something that can stop him." This highlights ongoing challenges for Atalanta as they navigate injuries while striving for better results in upcoming matches.