Referee Scandal: Salernitana-Modena Match Under Scrutiny, Rocchi Probed
Milan prosecutors investigate referee designator Gianluca Rocchi for sporting fraud. The Salernitana-Modena Serie B match is among those under scrutiny. Get the latest on the scandal rocking Italian football.
Italian football is once again in turmoil due to a wide-ranging referee investigation, with Serie A and B designator Gianluca Rocchi under scrutiny by the Milan Prosecutor's Office for complicity in sporting fraud. Among the matches from the 2024/25 season under the magnifying glass for alleged irregularities is the Serie B clash between Salernitana and Modena, a detail that also brings attention to the Emilian club.
The main accusation against Gianluca Rocchi is that he pressured certain referees and selected match officials "favored by Inter." This development follows the questioning of Andrea Gervasoni, VAR supervisor, yesterday, Friday, May 1, 2026, and represents a significant update in the investigation led by prosecutor Maurizio Ascione.
The incidents at the heart of the investigation date back to last season and involve several Serie A matches, including Udinese-Parma and Bologna-Inter, as well as the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Inter and Milan. Investigators are also seeking clarity on the 2023-24 Inter-Verona match, particularly regarding Alessandro Bastoni's elbowing incident involving Ondrej Duda.
Another particularly controversial incident from last season, now under the spotlight, is the penalty not awarded to Inter in their match against Roma, despite Evan Ndicka's clear hold on Yann Aurel Bisseck. This case highlights the depth and breadth of the alleged irregularities the Prosecutor's Office is examining.
Currently, five individuals are under investigation, with other cases already filed in an inquiry that is gradually expanding to the entire refereeing world. In addition to Gianluca Rocchi and Andrea Gervasoni, both suspended from their respective roles, assistant referee Daniele Paterna and two other VAR assistants, Rodolfo Di Vuolo and Luigi Nasca, are involved. It is suspected that other VAR assistants are also under investigation, but their identities remain a mystery at this time.