Alessandro Nesta, the former AC Milan and Italian football icon, voiced his frustration with refereeing standards following Monza’s controversial 1-0 defeat to AC Milan on Saturday. The defeat, in which Monza had a first-half goal disallowed, left Nesta lamenting the current state of officiating in football.
In a passionate post-match interview with Sky Italia, the Monza manager and ex-Rossoneri defender did not hold back, describing modern officiating as detrimental to the sport. Monza had dominated the first half, only to see their efforts undone by a contentious decision to disallow Dany Mota Carvalho’s goal due to an alleged foul by Warren Bondo on AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez.
The decision, made without intervention from VAR, surprised both fans and players, sparking Nesta’s post-match anger. “We could’ve scored four goals in the first half. We did score one, and it was disallowed,” Nesta said, expressing disbelief. “They [referees] are ruining football in my view; we need to go back to the old style of officiating. What kind of a foul is that?”
Nesta’s comments reflect a broader dissatisfaction with recent changes to refereeing, especially the frequent scrutiny over minor contacts and the precise enforcement of VAR, which he feels compromises the game’s essence.
“The referees sent an apology to Monza after the one against Atalanta, but apologies won’t stop us losing points,” he continued. Nesta’s frustration highlighted what he sees as an over-reliance on VAR, which he believes distorts the natural flow of the game.
“They are overcomplicating football,” he argued. “Football used to be simpler, it used to be a contact sport. Now, every tiny touch is penalized, a toenail is offside. Refereeing must adapt to the sport, not the other way around.”
Monza’s latest setback leaves them just above the relegation zone with eight points from 11 Serie A matches, as the team struggles to find form amid growing frustrations with officiating.
