Gianluca Rocchi will move from officiating to television analysis on Sunday, joining DAZN’s Serie A coverage at a point when every refereeing decision remains part of the wider conversation around the championship.
The decision
The former referee, who also served as the official in charge of Serie A and Serie B referees, has been added as a regular pundit on Fuoriclasse powered by Haier, DAZN’s Sunday-night programme presented by Diletta Leotta.
Rocchi is scheduled to make his first appearance on Sunday 11 October, following Cagliari’s home match against Juventus, which kicks off at 20:45. In the studio, he will join Andrea Stramaccioni, Valon Behrami and Andrea Marinozzi.
His arrival gives the programme a voice with extensive experience of elite matches. Across his refereeing career, Rocchi took charge of 529 games, including finals in the Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana.
Rocchi said he welcomed the opportunity to take on a different responsibility within the game. “I want to thank DAZN for this new chance,” he said. “I have always enjoyed new challenges, and this one excites me because it allows me to discuss football, one of my greatest passions, from every angle.”
He added that he was eager to return in a role unlike the one he had known on the pitch, helping supporters understand the technical elements of play that can affect an official’s judgement.
Rather than simply revisiting individual incidents, Rocchi’s role will include analysis of the players involved, the main issues emerging from each round and the refereeing dynamics that accompany a Serie A season.
