No Foul Given: Spalletti Demands European Intensity After Milan Draw
In comments made to accredited media at the Allianz Stadium following Sunday’s 1-1 draw between Juventus and AC Milan, head coach Luciano Spalletti addressed the officiating standards currently applied across Serie A. The primary focus centered on the build-up to Milan’s opening goal, where physical contact occurred between defender Koni De Winter and forward Randal Kolo Muani without a whistle from match referee Maurizio Mariani.
Rather than questioning the decision or seeking retroactive fault, Spalletti endorsed the higher physical threshold maintained by the match officials. His response framed the incident within Serie A referee designator Daniele Orsato’s initiative to align domestic officiating with European competition standards.
AC Milan
clubSpalletti Backs Maurizio Mariani Over Physical Threshold in Turin
When asked whether Milan’s opening goal should have been disallowed for a foul in the build-up, Spalletti dismissed the suggestion:
“Mariani is one of the best Italian referees, and in my opinion, the line we are seeing is correct. If you want to play in Europe, you have to adapt; these are not fouls, and they don’t get called. That’s the right way to do it. Of course, there can be incidents where a foul isn’t given or a yellow card is missed, but at the speed of the game, these things can happen even to a good, experienced referee like him.”
Juventus
clubEst. 1897 • "Bianconeri"📍 Allianz Stadium→
Spalletti’s assessment highlights an ongoing adaptation required from domestic squads as refereeing interpretations evolve. The refusal to blame officials for uncalled physical contact underlines a strategic focus on physical durability and continuous play over searching for stoppage decisions. Through the opening three matchdays of the league campaign, zero penalties have been awarded and no VAR interventions have taken place across the division.
Spalletti Targets Media Discourse on Refereeing Guidelines Under Orsato
Addressing commentary regarding physical contact on the pitch, Spalletti highlighted the directive established by referee designator Daniele Orsato:
“As I said the other time, this world ‘contact’ that you like to use. They teach you that contact means nothing. [Referee designator] Orsato will take the music away from you. Because it’s like a melody, and he takes that away from you because he doesn’t blow the whistle for a contact. Either there is an impact, or there is a foul, or you have to call it something else. I’m not going to complain about these things; I want to see my team fight until the very end. We were lucky, because we should have taken the goal home earlier.”
The insistence on distinguishing between routine physical contact and genuine foul play reflects a clear tactical imperative for the Turin club. By instructing players to maintain competitive intensity through challenged passages rather than halting play to seek fouls, the coaching staff aims to condition the squad for international fixtures where lighter physical collisions remain unpunished. Juventus moved to seven points from their opening three league matches following the result.
Football Italia attended the post-match press conference at the Allianz Stadium.