In a developing story that has sent ripples through Italian football, fresh reports have identified Inter Milan's club referee manager, Giorgio Schenone, as the individual mentioned by refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi in a controversial wiretapped phone call from April 2025. The revelation adds a new layer to an ongoing investigation that has cast a shadow over Serie A's officiating.
Rocchi, who oversees referee assignments for both Serie A and Serie B, is one of five figures from the Italian Referees Association (AIA) currently under scrutiny, with the most serious allegation being sporting fraud. Investigators claim that in April 2025, Rocchi conspired to remove referee Daniele Doveri from Inter's crucial end-of-season matches, allegedly because the club preferred not to have him officiate their games. Instead, Andrea Colombo was reportedly assigned.
Until now, the mystery surrounded who Rocchi was collaborating with—and why he believed Inter opposed Doveri, especially since no club official was initially under investigation. According to Repubblica, that missing piece has been identified as Schenone, a former assistant referee who officiated from 2009 to 2020 before retiring and joining Inter's backroom staff.
The key moment came during a phone call intercepted on April 2, 2025, the night of the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg between Inter and AC Milan at San Siro. In that call, Rocchi reportedly discussed which officials Inter would prefer to avoid. While Schenone was named, sources clarify that the call was not directly with him, and he is not currently under formal investigation.
For context, the role of a club referee manager involves coordinating with match officials for home games, escorting them to locker rooms, and ensuring their logistical needs are met—a standard position across many top European clubs. This revelation adds intrigue to an already tense season, as fans and pundits alike question the integrity of referee assignments in Italy's top flight. As the investigation unfolds, the football world will be watching closely to see if this leads to broader reforms in how officials are selected for high-stakes matches.