Rare position taking in football: the head of Italian refereeing has apologized for Federico La Penna's decision to send off Pierre Kalulu in the derby won by Inter against Juventus.

Gianluca Rocchi, the person responsible for appointing referees in Serie A, stated that referee Federico La Penna made an obvious mistake in the match between Inter and Juventus when he sent off defender Pierre Kalulu with a second yellow card. The incident occurred following a simulation by Alessandro Bastoni, who fell to the ground, and the footage showed that there was no contact between the two players. Juventus, left with 10 players, lost the match 2-3, and Inter thus gained an eight-point lead at the top of the standings.

Rocchi apologized for the incorrect decision and mentioned that VAR could not intervene because the protocol prohibits its use in the case of yellow cards. Coach Luciano Spalletti and director Giorgio Chiellini had a discussion with La Penna, emphasizing that such errors are not acceptable in important matches. Inter secured their sixth consecutive victory, strengthening their position as leaders in Serie A.