Kalulu's Red Mist Hands Inter Derby Glory as Juventus Bigwigs Erupt in Ref Rage

Picture this: a pulsating Derby d'Italia, tensions sky-high, and then bam – a decision that turns the San Siro into a cauldron of controversy. Juventus went down 3-2 to arch-rivals Inter Milan on Saturday, but it's not the goals that'll dominate the headlines. It's the sending-off of Pierre Kalulu that has the Bianconeri brass foaming at the mouth, calling it a right old stitch-up.

As reported by ESPN News Services for ESPN Italy, the drama unfolded late in the first half. Referee Federico La Penna reckoned the French defender had yanked back Alessandro Bastoni, earning a second yellow. Kalulu looked like he'd been hit with a VAR pie in the face – gesturing wildly for a review. Trouble is, lads, yellows that lead to reds are off-limits for the video boffins. No dice.

A Topsy-Turvy Thriller Before the Meltdown

Before the cards flew, it was end-to-end stuff. Andrea Cambiaso had the misfortune of nodding an own goal to gift Inter the lead early doors. But the Italian full-back made amends, smashing home an equaliser to get Juve level. Playing with 10 men after the break? You'd fancy most sides to crumble, but not these lot.

Inter weren't done, though. In the 76th minute, Pio Esposito rose like a salmon to thump home a Federico Dimarco cross from the left flank. Cue pandemonium. Manuel Locatelli thought he'd nicked a point for the visitors, volleying in from a Weston McKennie delivery in the 83rd. But no – enter Piotr Zielinski, who smashed in a 90th-minute winner to seal the points for the Nerazzurri. What a ride.

Chiellini and Comolli Let Rip in the Tunnel

Half-time in the tunnel was where the real fireworks popped off. Giorgio Chiellini, Juve's director of football strategy, and CEO Damien Comolli cornered La Penna, faces like thunder. Post-match, Chiellini didn't hold back: "It's tough to chinwag about footy after that shambles. We've got a global show here, and we're letting it down with daft calls like this. Italian football needs a proper overhaul, pronto – no more faffing about."

Comolli piled on, labelling it "embarrassing" and a "worldwide joke". He reckoned it's the tip of the iceberg this season, with injustices piling up like unpaid bills. "The gaffer and lads are gutted. We've dropped three points, but Serie A has lost its credibility. This one's for the fans – we're in this fight together against the madness."

You can almost hear the Chiellini war cry echoing through Turin. The old lion's not wrong – when big calls swing derbies, it stinks worse than a dodgy kebab after closing time.

Title Race Ramifications and Juve's Euro Scrap

This result? Massive. Inter stretch their lead at the Serie A summit to eight points, though they've ticked over an extra game compared to AC Milan and Napoli. Sitting pretty, they can smell the Scudetto.

For Juventus, now 15 points adrift in fourth, it's a proper dogfight for Champions League spots. Every point counts, and losing one to a perceived ref clanger? That'll fester. Max Allegri's troops will need steelier defending and sharper finishing to claw back ground.

In the end, it's classic Italian top-flight theatre – brilliance, blunders, and bosses baying for blood. Inter fans are popping corks; Juve supporters are plotting revolution. One thing's sure: this derby won't be forgotten in a hurry. Fancy a rematch already?

(Word count: 612)