During today’s Serie A match between Lecce and Inter, referee Daniele Doveri sustained an injury, resulting in the fourth official assuming his duties for the remainder of the game. This occurrence marks the second instance of such an incident in this Serie A round, following a similar situation in Friday’s match between Bologna and Verona, where referee Rosario Abisso suffered a foot injury early in the game.
In the case of Doveri’s injury at the Stadio Via del Mare, it appears that he became aware of the ankle problem during the halftime interval. Consequently, there was a slight extension of the break as necessary adjustments were made, with Niccolò Baroni assuming the role of referee for the second half, while Doveri transitioned to the position of fourth official.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Doveri possesses prior experience in officiating Serie A matches, having overseen five games at this level before the injury incident occurred.
Interestingly, upon the announcement of Doveri’s injury and subsequent role change at the Stadio Via del Mare, some Lecce fans expressed their approval with cheers and applause, reflecting their discontent with Doveri’s officiating during the match.