Bologna Allege Referee Was "Too Permissive" in Europa League Draw Against Roma

Following their 1-1 Europa League stalemate against Roma, Bologna expressed significant dissatisfaction with the match officiating. Both head coach Vincenzo Italiano and forward Santiago Castro alleged that a foul occurred in the sequence leading to Roma's equalizing goal.

Despite being an all-Italian contest held at the Stadio Dall’Ara, the encounter was a UEFA fixture overseen by German referee Sven Jablonski, with Bastian Dankert serving as the VAR official.

The officiating style diverged considerably from what the Rossoblu typically encounter, a fact highlighted by the controversy surrounding Lorenzo Pellegrini's goal.

Bologna Allege Permissive UEFA Refereeing

During his post-match press conference, Italiano remarked, "Remo Freuler was in possession of the ball; I'm unsure of the exact intensity of Donyell Malen's contact, but a foul could certainly have been awarded in that instance."

He further commented on the German referee's style, suggesting, "Perhaps the referee, being German, is accustomed to this manner of officiating. Overall, he was excessively permissive, particularly concerning Evan Ndicka, who impeded Castro by pulling his shirt, pushing, and holding his arm."

Italiano concluded, "Had Ndicka received a booking, it might have afforded Castro slightly more freedom to genuinely engage in play."

A protracted VAR review indeed followed Pellegrini's equalizer before the goal was ultimately confirmed, as Malen had engaged in a physical tussle with defenders while setting up the score.

Federico Bernardeschi had initially put the hosts ahead with a superb curling shot early in the second half.

Speaking to reporters, Castro stated, "I believe we delivered a strong performance, took the lead, and should have maintained it."

He added, "It's fair to say the referee’s performance wasn't favorable to us following our goal. I find it hard to believe there were four or five fouls on me without a single card being shown, but such is football, particularly in European competitions."

Consequently, the tie remains finely balanced heading into the second leg, scheduled for next Thursday evening at the Stadio Olimpico.