All 18 Serie A matches across the opening two rounds of the 2026-27 season were completed without a single referee walking to the pitch-side monitor for an on-field review. VAR operated exclusively through silent checks, a deliberate shift introduced by referee chief Orsato and his colleague Messina.
What the new standard requires
The policy, sourced from UEFA guidelines and implemented by Orsato and Messina, sets a high bar for intervention. VAR will only step in when an error is clear, obvious and beyond reasonable doubt. Plain physical contact between players no longer qualifies as a foul under the new framework.
The approach produced measurable results in round one. Average effective playing time reached 58 minutes and 17 seconds, up from 54 minutes and 20 seconds in the opening round of last season. Several managers welcomed the change, according to Tuttomercatoweb-affiliated outlet Donquiudi.
Incidents VAR stayed silent on
Three moments drew particular attention. Berardi‘s goal for Sassuolo against Torino carried a suspicion of offside, Dragusin was involved in a penalty-area challenge for Fiorentina, and Arajubegovici and Keita clashed in the box during Juventus against Parma. In all three cases VAR did not request an on-field review.
Officials explained the Juventus incident specifically: Keita extended a leg, but the defending player had his foot planted firmly on the ground, so no foul existed and VAR staying out was the correct call.
A divided reaction and the limits of the rule
Last season’s round two alone produced four on-field reviews, and critics at the time complained that VAR was interrupting matches too often over minor contact. Now the pendulum has swung the other way, and a section of fans and media feel VAR has effectively disappeared.
The new rule applies only to Serie A. Serie B referees continued to use pitch-side monitors during the same period. The referee group acknowledged the reform needs time to settle, with the stated goal of avoiding both excessive intervention and uncorrected serious errors.
