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Massa to Referee Roma-Inter; Mazzoleni at VAR
·16 September 2026·45d ago

Massa to Referee Roma-Inter; Mazzoleni at VAR

Source: Retesport

Davide Massa will officiate Saturday's match between Roma and Inter. Across 34 previous meetings between the sides under Massa, Roma have won 14, drawn 9 and lost 11. However, Roma's recent record with him is dire: they have lost their last six meetings under his charge, most recently at Como in a match marred by Wesley's wrongful and hasty expulsion.

Roma's last victory with Massa in charge came when they beat Inter 2–1 at San Siro under José Mourinho's management. That result stands as a rare highlight in an otherwise difficult history for the club under this referee's supervision.

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Davide Massa has been appointed to referee Roma's Serie A fixture against Inter at the Olimpico on Saturday 19 September at 18:00, a top-of-the-table encounter between the league's two leaders. Mazzoleni will oversee proceedings from the VAR room, supported by Di Paolo as AVAR, with Meli and Berti as assistant referees and Maresca in the fourth official role.

The appointment has drawn scrutiny given Roma's troubling record under Massa's direction. Roma have failed to win in their last ten matches officiated by him, according to Forza Roma, though Retesport reports a slightly different recent history—six consecutive losses under Massa, with their last victory coming when they beat Inter 2–1 at San Siro under José Mourinho's management in October 2022. Both outlets reference the controversial sending-off of Wesley during Roma's 2–1 defeat at Como on 15 March as a flashpoint in Roma's experience with this referee.

Former referee Graziano Cesari, now a commentator, questioned the appointment to Sportmediaset, calling it a "conservative" choice by Giancarlo Orsato. While acknowledging Massa's experience and knowledge of players, Cesari expressed concern that "if the match becomes more intense at an agonistic level, he could face difficulty in managing it," suggesting that experience, character and clarity would be essential assets for the referee in handling such a high-stakes encounter.

AI synthesis of all sources below — always check the originals.

Testo Originale / Source Text

“Sarà Davide Massa il fischietto del big match di sabato tra Roma e Inter. 34 partite complessive per Massa, 14 le vittorie dei giallorossi, 9 i pareggi e 11 le sconfitte. Nelle ultime sei però sono arrivati solo ko per la Roma, l’ultimo in ordine di tempo a Como con veleni nel post gara per…”

Read the full article in Italian at Retesport.

Read original on Retesport →

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