Inter vs Juventus: Serie A referees apologize after controversial Kalulu broadcast

Serie A referee Gianluca Rocchi said referee Federico La Penna was “clearly wrong” to show Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu a second yellow card during Saturday’s defeat at Inter Milan, and apologized for the incident.

Kalulu was sent off after Inter player Alessandro Bastoni fell to the ground and immediately gestured to the referee and demanded a card, indicating that Kalulu had grabbed his shirt to bring him down. Television footage suggested there was no contact between the players. Juventus, who were down to ⁠10 men after the elimination, lost 3-2, meaning Inter are now eight points clear at the top of the league.

“We are very sorry for the incident, for La Penna’s decision, which was clearly wrong, and for the fact that VAR could not be used to correct it,” Rocchi told the Italian news agency. ANSA.

READ | Inter beat Juventus 3-2 and strengthened their lead in the Serie A standings

“La Penna is mortified and we are close to him, but I have to tell you the truth that he is not the only one who made a mistake because yesterday there was a clear simulation.”

Kalulu made the VAR gesture while protesting his marching orders, but the league’s protocol prohibits the use of VAR in yellow card situations, including second yellow cards leading to exclusion.

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti and director Giorgio Chiellini later confronted La Penna in the tunnel gfdyhfd7.

“Today something completely unacceptable happened, it doesn’t matter if it happens to us or to someone else, and from tomorrow the VAR will probably have to change because it is not ‌acceptable that so many mistakes keep happening even in big games like this,” Chiellini said. Heaven Italy.

Published on February 15, 2026