Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti threatened to slap Cagliari head coach Fabio Pisacane after their teams drew 1-1 in Sardinia on Sunday night, with both men shown straight red cards by referee Matteo Marcenaro as tempers flared after the final whistle at the Unipol Domus.
The pair now face one-match touchline suspensions unless the dismissals are successfully appealed. Juventus had a frustrating evening after falling behind to a 20th-minute strike from Daniel Maldini, and despite controlling 70% of possession and registering 21 attempts on goal, the Bianconeri only equalised in the 81st minute through Randal Kolo Muani.
Post-match handshake turns hostile
Video analysis and lip-reading reports published by La Gazzetta dello Sport revealed how the exchange turned venomous. Pisacane booted the ball into the air in celebration before high-fiving his coaching staff and walking across to offer the customary post-match handshake to his opposite number. As the two men met, Spalletti approached in a visibly agitated state and remarked that Cagliari were very good at wasting time.
The confrontation escalated when Pisacane gripped Spalletti by the arm. A furious spat broke out in full view of the cameras, with the pair barking at each other: "What are you doing?" to which the other snapped back, "No, what are you doing?" As colleagues rushed in to separate them, Spalletti leaned in aggressively and was caught shouting: "I'll give you a slap!"
Pisacane wanted a hug
A stunned Pisacane later expressed his disbelief over how rapidly the situation deteriorated, lamenting that a simple sign of respect had turned sour. The Cagliari boss explained that he only wanted to embrace his opposite number, saying: "It's disappointing, because it could have all ended with a hug. If Juventus are worried about not winning in Cagliari by matchday six, it means we are on the right path."
Spalletti attempted to downplay the fury in his post-match comments, insisting: "Nothing happened. I told Pisacane that they're good, they play well and they also know how to waste time. Nothing special, everything was normal."
Referee Marcenaro took a far dimmer view of the altercation, brandishing red cards to both managers in quick succession. Unless successfully appealed, the dismissals will see Spalletti banned from the technical area for Juventus' high-profile home clash against Lazio next weekend, while Pisacane will be barred from the touchline for Cagliari's trip to Monza.
