The controversy surrounding the Derby d’Italia between Juventus and Inter continues to stir the world of Italian football. The Old Lady is not accepting the controversial sending-off of Pierre Kalulu and has made a direct appeal to the president of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina, for the red card decision to be reviewed. This incident, which occurred last weekend, has cast a shadow over Inter’s 3-2 victory, overshadowing the result with a clamor for justice.
During the match, Kalulu was sent off in the 42nd minute after receiving a second yellow card. The first card was shown for a foul on Nicolo Barella, but the second infraction, allegedly on Alessandro Bastoni, sparked a wave of indignation. Replay footage made it clear that Bastoni, who already had a yellow, simulated the foul, leading to the expulsion of the French defender. His exuberant celebration after the decision only added fuel to the fire of the controversy.
Gianluca Rocchi, the head of refereeing, later acknowledged that there was an error in the decision to send off Kalulu. Even with the acknowledgment of the mistake, the situation became even more complicated for coach Luciano Spalletti, as Kalulu received a one-match suspension, which prevents him from being present for Saturday’s match against Como. The situation is exacerbated by uncertainty regarding Gleison Bremer’s availability, who was injured during the 5-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
According to reports from Sky Sport Italia and TMW, Juventus initially appealed to the sports court regarding the red card, but that attempt failed. Now, Juve is hopeful that Gravina, an influential figure in the federation, can intervene and overturn the decision. It is worth noting that the last pardon granted by Gravina was in 2023, when Romelu Lukaku was also sent off after reacting to racist chants during a match between the same teams.
Juventus is clearly determined to rectify what it considers an injustice that has affected the outcome of the match and possibly its campaign in Serie A. The pressure is high, and fans are eagerly awaiting a resolution that could reverse their club’s fortunes. The saga of Kalulu’s red card continues and promises to be a hot topic in the coming days.
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