Female referee crew to be in charge of Serie A for first time

According to Thursday’s Italian Referee Association (AIA) announcement, a referee crew consisting of only female officials will oversee a Serie A game this coming weekend.

After last Monday’s Derby della Madonnina victory against AC Milan, Inter Milan was crowned Serie A champions. There was no more gratifying method for Inter to earn their 20th Scudetto in club history. With 19 league championships between them, the two Milan teams came into this season in a dead heat. Finally, Inter will get the second gold star on their club emblem before their arch-rivals.

Unprecedented event in Italian soccer

But before heading out on summer break, Simone Inzaghi’s squad still has five games to play. When Serie A kicks off early on Sunday, they will play host to Torino before taking an open-air bus parade across the city.

Sunday sees the newly crowned league winners play in a match that Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi will officiate. Tiziana Trasciatti and Francesca Di Monte will be her assistants.

As Italian soccer struggles with concerns of representation and diversity, this momentous occasion occurs in a world that men have long controlled. With her call of Sassuolo vs Salernitana in 2022, 33-year-old Ferrieri Caputi became the first female referee in Serie A.

This season, she has presided over six games in Italy’s top division. That means she will be refereeing her seventh Serie A match of the season. Officiating a match for the Nerazzurri this season is something she has never done before.

The 33-year-old had 31 yellow cards and 1 red card in her six appearances in Serie A. The referee even gave out penalty kicks twice. Additionally, Ferrieri Caputi presided over eight games in Serie B this year.

A FIFA-certified official, she oversaw a UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier. Along the lines, the Livorno native will have the support of Francesca Di Monte and Tiziana Trasciatti, rounding out the all-female squad.

With that said, Di Paolo and Aureliano will be in charge of the video assistant referee booth, while Matteo Marchetti will play the role of fourth official.

Almost perfect record for Inter’s 20th title

Going back to Inter Milan lifting the Scudetto, there was no more fulfilling way to earn it, in their minds. Inter missed a chance to become the first team to win the title in a Milan derby. In May 2008, they eventually lost 2-1 to their rivals.

In a match played at the San Siro, where both take great pride, Inter came out on top, winning 2-1. Fikayo Tomori scored in stoppage time, but the visiting team’s goals from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram decided the game.

First to go earn marching orders were Denzel Dumfries and Theo Hernandez, who had been battling in the middle of the field since the beginning of injury time. Then, the Rossoneri captain Davide Calabria was the next to go down the chute a few minutes later after he smacked Davide Frattesi in the face in a corner.

Inter have had a remarkable season under manager Simone Inzaghi, finishing Serie A with only a single defeat. It was in September when they were host to Sassuolo and lost 2-1.

PHOTOS: IMAGO