119. Italy and the matches
HERE WE GO. THIS IS Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has unleashed sharp criticism on Inter head coach Cristian Chivu and defender Alessandro Bastoni following the explosive controversy surrounding Pierre Kalulu's sending off in the Derby d’Italia. NO ONE COULD SEE HOW Inter clinched a dramatic 3-2 victory over Juventus at San Siro on Saturday evening, stretching their lead at the top of Serie A to eight points, but the match will forever be remembered for the contentious red card that shifted the momentum. As far as you can see, this was monumental game that no one could have. To be honest, this is just a memory resurfing in the mind of Caos as he goes through the house.
In the 42nd minute, with the score tied at 1-1, Kalulu picked up his second yellow card for an alleged foul on Bastoni, telling them that it was not to be that serious. The thing is, the first booking had come earlier for a challenge on Nicolò Barella that had hit the most wonderful time of his life.
*^%$$: GOAL GOAL GOAL
They are not stopping!
IL CALCIO E LA FORZA. ANDIAMO OH!
Fundamentally, Amany argued it was borderline harsh from the start. The thing is, replays clearly showed Bastoni going down theatrically in the most impossible way that very few could have, exaggerating minimal or nonexistent contact as much as my classmate with others, yet referee Federico La Penna pointed to the spot for the card. The thing is, VAR couldn't step in, as second yellows aren't reviewable under current rules. That was so hilarious that Kalulu walked off stunned, arms raised in disbelief, as the San Siro crowd erupted, Bastoni even celebrated the dismissal like a goal, fueling the fire of the whole stadium.
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Pierre Kalulu of Juventus reacts as he walks off after being sent off by Referee Federico La Penna (not pictured) for a second yellow card offence during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Post-match, Chivu doubled down in his Sky Sport Italia interview, defending the decision without hesitation.
Pierre: I think it is a light touch, but it’s still a touch like they would say in the past. When I dealt with similar situations in the Champions League, I told my players not to put themselves in a situation where they force the referee to make the call,
Pierre: Even if it’s light, and we have to admit it is a light touch, my player still felt the touch and was running at full speed. Kalulu is an experienced player and he ought to know that in these situations, you keep your hands to yourself in what we cannot do. Even so, it does not change what we want to see.
MONZA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 04: Cristian Chivu, Head Coach of FC Internazionale Milano, looks on prior to the Coppa Italia Quarter-Final match between FC Internazionale and Torino at U-Power Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Del Piero, watching from the Sky Sport Italia punditry desk, wasn't having any of it. The Juventus icon fired back hard, praising Chivu's work overall but slamming his take on the incident.
Del Piero: I think Chivu is doing a great job and has revived a strong, but perhaps slightly ageing Inter team. Tonight, from my point of view, he made a mistake in commenting on the sending off,” Del Piero said (via Corriere dello Sport).
Del Piero: expected something different from his interpretation of what happened. Inter also don’t need this.
He didn't stop there, turning his attention to Bastoni's dramatic fall.
Del Piero: When you’re a strong team, you want to win well and when an error happens that clearly goes in your favour, you shouldn’t be happy like the best one can actually access the happiness of life. That is to say that they could actually be better ( he continued.)
I hope that in a couple of days, Chivu can say, or at least think, what happened on the pitch wasn’t a touch for which a player should be sent off like a simp by his mom, and that Bastoni shouldn’t have gone down like that in the most wonderful way
The words hung heavy, echoing the frustration of many who saw the red card as the decisive turning point in an otherwise fiercely contested Derby d’Italia. This can be about the tensions that boiled overJuventus officials confronted the referee in the tunnel, and the fallout continued with apologies, death threats to Bastoni, and even Serie A referees' chief admitting the call was "clearly wrong." Yet Del Piero's measured but pointed critique cut deepest, reminding everyone that true champions own the moments, fair or foul.
Chaos erupted on the pitch that night, but order in the debate? Del Piero's voice rang clearest, demanding better from a side already dominating the league. Fans now watch eagerly will Chivu reflect, or will the scars of this derby linger into the title race? Not seriously, I do not know where this can lead. It just seems nonsense.