Chiellini and Comolli Fierce: "Unacceptable Error, Refereeing Level Inadequate"

Italy - Ekhbary News Agency

Chiellini and Comolli Fierce: "Unacceptable Error, Refereeing Level Inadequate"

MILAN - Following Juventus's controversial 3-2 defeat against Inter Milan in a crucial Serie A fixture, club officials have broken their silence to express profound disappointment with the officiating. The match, decided by a late goal from Inter's Zielinski in the 90th minute, saw Juventus play with ten men from the 42nd minute after midfielder Kalulu was controversially shown a second yellow card. While Inter's coach Chivu reportedly deemed the decision correct, it became a focal point of post-match anger.

In the absence of head coach Luciano Spalletti, who remained unavailable to the press, Juventus's CEO Damien Comolli and club director Giorgio Chiellini addressed the media. Chiellini, a legendary former captain and now a director at the club, did not mince words. Speaking to 'Sky Sport', he stated, "We cannot talk about football after what happened tonight. This refers to the second yellow card given to Kalulu, a decision where VAR could not intervene due to protocol. We cannot continue like this; these kinds of errors are unacceptable, and it's unacceptable that there isn't an adequate level for a match of this magnitude. Unfortunately, this is the spectacle we've been offering since the start of the season."

Chiellini continued his strong critique, emphasizing the need for immediate structural changes within Italian football officiating. "We need to change, and change immediately, without procrastinating as often happens in Italian football. There isn't an adequate structure for a Serie A championship. We tried to be proactive, but mistakes keep happening. All teams and various coaches like De Rossi, Gasperini, or Conte complain in turn. We cannot go on like this. The 'Derby d'Italia' that everyone awaits cannot be decided by such an episode. The protocol? It must be changed, and today's incident confirms it, but we must still manage to avoid such errors. It's a pity because, in the end, referees are young people like us," Chiellini concluded, "but it's evident that tonight the level was not sufficient to officiate this match."

CEO Damien Comolli echoed these sentiments, describing the situation as "embarrassing." Comolli, who along with Spalletti had a heated exchange with referee La Penna in the tunnel during halftime, told 'Sky Sport': "What happened today is embarrassing for the team, for the fans, and for the club. This has been happening all season; it's embarrassing to see globally. It's very difficult to accept injustices like these, and we must say something. We spoke with Spalletti, and we told the lads they did a good job. Obviously, everyone is very disappointed… it's unacceptable, it's not right."

Further elaborating in a connection with 'Dazn', the French executive reiterated his stance: "Juventus lost three points, but Italian football lost much more. An injustice has occurred. We are sad for our fans, but the entire Juventus club, from the ownership to the players, will not give up."

The strong statements from Chiellini and Comolli highlight a growing frustration within Juventus and potentially across Serie A regarding the consistency and quality of refereeing. These comments underscore a critical conversation about the standards of officiating in top-flight Italian football and its impact on the competitive balance and integrity of the league.

Ekhbary News Agency