Referee Gariano defends non-penalty decision in River Plate vs Tigre match

Referee Andrés Gariano has addressed the controversy surrounding a non-penalty decision during the match between River Plate and Tigre, which ended in a 1-0 victory for Tigre. The incident occurred in the 35th minute when Ángel Correa fell in the area following contact with Tigre players Nahuel Banegas and Alan Barrionuevo.

Gariano stated that he viewed the incident as a “normal situation of play” involving physical contact typical of the sport. He further explained that the VAR official, Yamil Possi, did not suggest a review because the booth reached the same conclusion that the play was part of the normal development of the match. Gariano noted that while contact was visible, he did not believe it warranted a penalty sanction.

The decision drew sharp criticism from River Plate players and staff. Captain Nicolás Otamendi expressed frustration, stating that the refereeing and VAR were not up to the standard of the competition. River Plate manager Chacho Coudet also questioned why the play was not deemed reviewable by the VAR system.