Serie A’s referee designator has apologised for the “clearly wrong” sending off of Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu against Inter, but criticised those in the league who “try everything they can to cheat” the officials.
Kalulu was shown a second yellow card in the 42nd minute of Saturday night’s league match, which Inter won 3-2, when the score was 1-1.
The 25-year-old France international defender was adjudged by referee Federico La Penna to have pulled the shirt of Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, who fell to the ground before immediately gesturing for a card to be shown.
Television replays appeared to show no contact had been made by Kalulu, but the video assistant referee (VAR) system is unable to intervene for yellow card decisions.
“We are very disappointed, both with La Penna’s decision, which was clearly wrong, and with the fact that VAR could not be used to rectify it,” Gianluca Rocchi, the league’s referee designator, told Italian press agency Ansa after the match.
“La Penna is mortified and we sympathise with him, but I have to tell you the truth: he is not the only one who got it wrong, because yesterday there was a clear simulation. The latest in a long series in a league where they try everything they can to cheat us.”
Rocchi said the league’s officials are “capable of taking responsibility” for their errors, but he also criticised the league’s coaches: “They have never helped us, but have made things for difficult for us.”
The league’s referee designator, however, delivered the thrust of his message to players: “I believe that someone should examine their conscience. To be clear, I am referring to those who go out on the pitch and behave in a certain way.”
Inter’s 3-2 victory, secured with a last-minute winner from Piotr Zielinski, saw them go eight points clear of second-place Milan, who have played one game fewer, at the top of Serie A.
Juve are fifth in the standings, 15 points behind Inter.
