Serie A match official Marco Guida expressed his frustration at the increasing tension between players and referee in Italy’s top flight.
In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Guida warned of his low tolerance for protests on the part of players and coaches.
“The important thing to remember is that we’re also human,” Guida told the newspaper.
“The players miss crucial penalties, the coaches miss the substitutions. If we make mistakes, we always do so in good faith,” he continued.
“The VAR saved me on numerous occasions, though the final decision always lies with the referee. The VAR sends you to watch an episode that you may have misjudged at first. But the decision is still yours.”
“The level of difficulty of a certain episode should not condition us,” added Guida. “Things must change in Italy. We’re victims of beatings in the lower divisions. When they touch one of us they touch all of us. This thing must stop and Serie A’s contribution is also needed.”
“How? Stop with the protests. From now on we will only be able to give explanations to the captain and everyone else must avoid protesting every decision, otherwise the yellow card will be issued. We don’t want any more cliques, mobbing and unnecessary pressure. There will be zero tolerance for that kind of behavior from players and coaches.”
