The referee of the Boca-Platense match explained why he did not call the handball by Dylan Gorosito: "It's not unnatural"

The controversial hand of Dylan Gorosito in the 1-1 draw between Boca and Platense continues to generate repercussions. Following the Calamar's complaints about the action that could have resulted in a penalty in their favor, Jorge Baliño, the referee of the match, explained why he believed a penalty should not have been called and defended the criteria used by VAR.

The play occurred inside the Xeneize's area when Gorosito attempted to defend a ball that ended up hitting his hand. The Vicente López team claimed for a penalty, but Lucas Novelli, in charge of VAR, considered that the action should not be penalized and did not call Baliño to review it on the monitor. Later, the referee agreed with that interpretation and explained the reasons.

In an interview with TyC Sports, Baliño mentioned that he did not communicate with Novelli during the match regarding that play, although he later had the opportunity to observe it and agreed with the decision made from the booth. "I didn't have the chance to talk to Lucas after the match, but they surely checked the defender's hand and considered it was not penalizable", he stated.

The referee acknowledged that the ball hit Gorosito's hand but explained that the proximity between the two elements was decisive in interpreting that there was no foul. "After the match, when I had the chance to see it, I agree that, although the ball hits the hand, I have considerations for it not to be penalizable due to the proximity, that the ball is going towards the hand and not the hand towards the ball", he maintained.

Additionally, Baliño emphasized the position of Boca's fullback's arm and considered that there was no deliberate action to enlarge his body. "While the position may be open, it is not unnatural for the action the player is performing, which is to defend. So I don't see an additional gesture of the hand towards the ball to consider it penalizable", he explained.

The play also opened another debate: whether the decision should have been made directly by the on-field referee or if VAR's intervention was appropriate. Baliño himself admitted that there is room to discuss that aspect. "There can indeed be an analysis of whether that determination should have been made by me or if it should have been made by VAR", he acknowledged.

Novelli did not call the main referee to review the images on the monitor and, according to Baliño, there was also no dialogue between them during the match regarding the action. "I did not have a dialogue during the match with Lucas about this situation", he affirmed.

The referee, however, defended that VAR did not call him to review the play. He explained that an intervention that ended with the same interpretation could generate more confusion than certainty. "If VAR has considerations to determine that it is not a handball, calling me to evaluate that creates an expectation of something that might end up being the same as I interpret", he stated.

In that vein, Baliño argued that a review on the field can create an expectation among the public that the outcome will necessarily be a penalty. "So, many times making a call for people to see that the referee reviewed it can create an adverse atmosphere later. Because perhaps people believe that if I go to check, I will come out with a penalty, because that is what they want. VAR is clearly a referee who knows the rules and makes decisions", he argued.

Finally, when asked what he would have done if he had been in charge of VAR, he left no room for doubt: "I would have acted the same way".