Scandal in Serie A: referee Sacchi did not shake hands with his assistant!
Italian referee Juan Luca Sacchi was banned from Serie A matches for not shaking his assistant’s hand before the match started.
Sassuolo hosted Lecce in Serie A play on Friday night, with Alessio Dionisi’s side looking to bounce back after a somewhat lackluster start to the 2023-24 season. Star striker Domenico Berardi put Neroverdi ahead with a fine shot after just 22 minutes with his fifth goal in six games, but Lecce equalized in the second half through Nikola Krstovic to secure a 1-1 draw at home.
However, before the game began, there was a controversial moment in the tunnel. Referee Juan Luca Sacchi did not shake hands with his assistant Francesca Di Monte before the match. Before the match began, Di Monte was in front of the Lecce players waiting to take the field.
HE SHAKED WITH EVERYONE BUT…
Referee Sacchi then headed towards the tunnel between both groups of players, while Di Monte shook his assistant’s hand on the other side of the tunnel.
Sacchi then saw Di Monte and pretended to extend his hand, but then withdrew it and Di Monte was left standing in front of both groups of players. The captain of the home team, Gabriel Strefezza, smiled inwardly when he saw the gesture towards Di Monte in front of him.
Di Monte then shook his head and smiled to himself in disbelief, then walked with the other players towards the tunnel for the match to begin.
Italian referee Juan Luca Sacchi will be suspended for a matchday in Serie A after refusing to shake the hand of his assistant Di Monti before the match between Lecce and Sassuolo…pic.twitter.com/XgUTcgsNBy
— Football days away from home (@FBAwayDays) October 9, 2023
1-MATCH PENALTY
According to reports in Italy, the referee not only received a one-match ban from Serie A, but was also verbally reprimanded by designated referee Gianluca Rocchi for the embarrassment his behavior caused.
This was the third Serie A game that Di Monte officiated this season; He also coached Empoli’s 1-0 victory over Salernitana and Cagliari’s 0-0 draw with Udinese in September.