Inter were celebrating a 3-2 win against Juventus to extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points at the San Siro, but the main theme of the game was the controversial decision to hand Kalulu a second yellow card in the 42nd minute.
Kalulu was first booked for a foul on Nicol Barella, which many saw as too harsh, and then sent off for an alleged foul on Bastoni.
Footage showed Bastoni faking the foul, but referee Federico La Penna had already shown Kalulu a second yellow card and was unable to change the decision. VAR could not intervene because it was not a direct red card.
Del Piero criticized Chivu and Bastoni
Speaking after the game, Chivu insisted there was “light contact”, that Bastoni felt the touch while running at full speed and that Kalulu, as an “experienced player”, must have known to “keep his hands off” in such situations.
“I think it was a light touch, but still a touch. When I faced similar situations in the Champions League, I told my players not to put themselves in a situation where they force the referee to make a decision,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia.
“Even if it is light, and we have to admit it is, my player felt the contact while running at full speed. Kalulu is an experienced player and he must know to keep his hands to himself in such situations.”
Del Piero, who was in the role of expert commentator in the Sky Sport Italia studio, did not agree with Chivu’s interpretation of the situation and also criticized Bastoni for the way he fell.
“I think Chivu is doing a great job and has revived a strong but maybe a bit old Inter team. Tonight, in my opinion, he was wrong in his comment about the sending off,” said Del Piero.
“I expected a different interpretation of what happened. Inter do not need this either.
When you are a strong team, you want to win the right way and when a mistake happens that is clearly in your favor, you should not be satisfied.
I hope that in a few days, Chivo will be able to say, or at least think, that what happened on the field was not a contact for which the player should be sent off and that Bastoni should not have fallen in such a way.”
(Vijesti.ba)
