Juventus ask Gravina to overturn Kalulu red card after Derby d’Italia controversy
Juventus have reportedly lodged a request with FIGC President Gabriele Gravina in an attempt to get Pierre Kalulu’s red card rescinded after the controversial Derby d’Italia between the Old Lady and rivals Inter last weekend.
Juventus go to FIGC chief in attempt to get Kalulu red card overturned
Inter won the derby 3-2, but their victory was largely overshadowed by the controversial decision to send off Kalulu in the 42nd minute for a second bookable offence.
The Frenchman had been shown a yellow card for a foul on Nicolo Barella, and was then given his marching orders after a supposed foul on Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni.
However, replays showed that Bastoni, who was on a yellow card himself at the time, had dived in an attempt to get his opponent sent off and was then seen passionately celebrating when Kalulu was given his marching orders.
Refereeing chief Gianluca Rocchi has since admitted that a mistake was made, and Bastoni has since apologised for his role in the debacle.
Despite the fact that Rocchi has admitted that the decision to send off Kalulu was incorrect, the Juventus defender has still picked up a one-match suspension, which rules him out of this Saturday’s Serie A match against Como.
This problem has become more severe for Luciano Spalletti and his team given that Gleison Bremer is now a major doubt after his first-half withdrawal from Juve’s 5-2 Champions League loss against Galatasaray on Tuesday night.
According to reports from Sky Sport Italia and TMW, Juventus followed protocol by appealing the Kalulu red card decision with the sporting court of appeal, which was, however, unsuccessful.
Now, according to Friday’s reports, Juventus have appealed directly to FIGC President Gravina, hoping for a pardon from the man at the top of Italian football.
The most recent time that Gravina sanctioned a pardon over a sending off decision was in 2023, when Romelu Lukaku was shown a second yellow card for his reaction to racist and discriminatory chants from the crowd, again in a match involving Inter and Juventus.