Gian Piero Gasperini Criticizes VAR After Donyell Malen's Red Card in Como Draw

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini voiced strong frustration following the controversial sending off of Donyell Malen during their 0-0 draw against Como. Gasperini argued that freeze-frame replays distort the reality of on-field action and damage the spirit of football.

Dispute Over Malen's Dismissal

The red card shown to Malen in the 53rd minute at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia left Roma playing with ten men for almost forty minutes, forcing a defensive approach in a match that had otherwise been open. Gasperini firmly defended his forward, insisting Malen did not act with malice.

"We were forced to defend ourselves after the red card. Malen was repeatedly fouled before the tackle," Gasperini stated emphatically.

Critique of Freeze-Frame Replays

When confronted with video footage of the incident, Gasperini criticized referees for relying on static images to judge fast, physical challenges. He described the tackle as ugly but without harmful intent, and said the replay method unfairly altered perception.

"The jump was ugly, but there was no intent to inflict any damage. It was definitely an incident that ruined the match."

"There is no point in freezing the frame; football is not made up of frames. You can justify everything this way, but the concept matters. Stop with the frames because they distort reality."

Respect for Team's Resilience

Despite his anger about the officiating, Gasperini praised his team's resilience while down to ten players against a strong Como side led by Cesc Fàbregas. The Giallorossi managed to secure Serie A’s first 0-0 result of the season.

"Over 30 minutes of 90 minutes, you play with ten men against a strong team like Como, and it is disappointing," Gasperini noted.

"I don’t know how it would have ended with 11 men, but we were confident. A draw in these conditions is fine."

Looking Ahead

After enduring heavy late pressure from a six-man Como attack, Roma leave Lombardy with a valuable point, maintaining momentum in Serie A. Gasperini remains optimistic about his squad’s development despite the dropped points.

The club will soon assess the length of Malen's suspension before their next league game. Gasperini expects his players to keep showing the same defensive determination moving forward.

• Next Matches:
• Champions League: Feyenoord vs Roma, 14 Oct 2026, 19:45
• Serie A: Como vs Roma, 14 Oct 2026, 22:00
• Champions League: Real Madrid vs Roma, date TBD