Referee Targeted with Death Threats Following Costly Serie A Error
Serie A referee Federico La Penna has been subjected to a torrent of death threats and could face a one-month suspension after making a critical mistake during Inter Milan's dramatic 3-2 victory over Juventus at the San Siro. The controversy erupted when La Penna showed a second yellow card to Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu in the 41st minute, reducing the visitors to ten men.
Controversial Dismissal Sparks Outrage
The incident occurred with the scores level at 1-1, after Andrea Cambiaso's own goal had given Inter an early lead, which Kalulu himself equalized in the 26th minute. Replays clearly showed that Inter's Alessandro Bastoni simulated his fall to the ground, yet Kalulu was sent off for the alleged foul. Fans and officials argued this decision unfairly tilted the match in Inter's favor, directly impacting the final outcome.
Juventus players immediately appealed for VAR intervention, but regulations prevent the review of yellow card decisions. Compounding the error, Bastoni—who was already on a yellow card—should have received a second booking for simulation but escaped punishment.
Social Media Threats and Police Involvement
Following the match, La Penna was bombarded with violent threats on social media platforms, including messages such as "I'll shoot you," "I'll kill you," and "We're coming to get you, we know where you live." Italian media outlets, including La Repubblica and SportMediaset, report that police have advised the referee to remain at home for his safety, and he has filed a formal complaint about the attacks.
Bastoni also faced significant online abuse, leading both him and his wife to disable comments on their social media accounts after he appeared to celebrate the red card decision.
Official Condemnation and Potential Suspension
Serie A's chief refereeing officer, Gianluca Rocchi, described the red card as "a clearly wrong decision" and indicated that La Penna could be suspended for one month by the Italian referees' association (AIA). Rocchi stated, "La Penna is mortified and we stand by him, but I have to tell you the truth: he wasn't the only one who made a mistake. Yesterday there was a clear simulation—the latest in a long series in a league where they try in every possible way to deceive us."
Juventus Reaction and Disciplinary Fallout
The decision provoked fury within the Juventus camp. Former Italy international Giorgio Chiellini, now the club's director of football strategy, called the incident "unacceptable" and said, "You can't talk about football today." Chief executive Damien Comolli reportedly had to be restrained at halftime after attempting to confront La Penna, and later commented, "Juventus lost three points, but Italian football lost much more." Both Comolli and Chiellini could face disciplinary sanctions for their reactions.
Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti was seen attempting to diffuse tensions, pushing Comolli away from the referee as teams left the pitch at halftime.
Match Outcome Amidst Controversy
Despite playing with ten men, Juventus fought valiantly. Inter took the lead in the 76th minute through Pio Esposito, only for Manuel Locatelli to equalize in the 83rd minute. However, Piotr Zielinski scored an injury-time winner for Inter, sealing a 3-2 victory that was overshadowed by the refereeing controversy and its violent aftermath.
