As a developing referee scandal jeopardizes the credibility of Italy’s top flight, Serie A leaders Inter Milan might win the Italian championship this weekend when they play Parma at the San Siro.
With a 10-point advantage over Napoli, who play Champions League contenders Como on Saturday night, Inter only needs to win one of their next four games to capture their 21st league title and third in six years.
However, if Napoli loses at Como and AC Milan, who are 12 points behind in third, lose at Sassuolo on Sunday afternoon, Inter supporters may already be celebrating their Scudetto when they take to their seats on Sunday night.
Parma should be easy meat for Inter because they have nothing to play for, but the
In actuality, securing Champions League qualification is Milan’s and Napoli’s only feasible goal.
If Napoli defeated Como and Roma but lost to Fiorentina on Monday night, they would do just that.
In the final weeks of the season, Napoli is eight points ahead of both fifth-place Como and sixth-place Roma, who are attempting to sneak into the top four.
Milan is three points ahead of Como and Roma, who are three points behind Juventus, who are in the fourth and final Champions League qualifying slot.
Calcio is having a predicament.
However, a crisis involving the head of Serie A and Serie B referees being looked into by Milan prosecutors for the crime of “sporting fraud” overshadows the on-field activity.
After it was revealed that he, VAR chief Andrea Gervasoni, and two other people were accused of the same crime, which carries a possible six-year prison sentence, Gianluca Rocchi suspended himself on Sunday.
At a hearing on Thursday, Gervasoni will be questioned regarding allegations that the selection of referees has occasionally been piloted and that VAR officials have received outside communication from both Rocchi and him regarding what decisions to make. Rocchi, 52, will not speak to prosecutors.
During Udinese’s 1-0 victory over Parma in March of last year, Rocchi is suspected of beating on the door of the VAR room to persuade him to reverse his verdict on a handball offence. Another official, Daniele Paterna, is accused of providing false testimony regarding this incident.
Additionally, Rocchi is suspected of choosing Andrea Colombo to officiate Inter Milan’s 1-0 loss to Bologna in April of last year because he was “liked by Inter.”
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