Kalulu Rule is coming…
Change happens for a reason, and maybe, just because of an injustice suffered, Pierre Kalulu’s name will forever be engraved in football as a hero, while Bastoni remains on the receiving end of the narrative, especially whenever the Kalulu Rule comes to mind.
The derby d’Italia, known for producing classics in recent times yet again delivered another masterclass, but garnered neither praises nor poise this time, as Alessandro Bastoni’s anti-sportmanship act that got Pierre Kalulu sent off dominated in the aftermath.
Inter secured a massive victory in their bid to win the Scudetto this season but their unsportsmanlike behavior is what dominates the headlines in Italy and beyond, after an embarrassing dive from Alessandro Bastoni saw Juventus reduced to 10 men with half-time approaching.
Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu was shown a second yellow card moments before halftime in Saturday night’s Serie A Derby d’Italia in the Giuseppe Meazza, influencing Inter’s chances to win the thrilling clash.
Despite not making contact with Bastoni, the Frenchman, who was booked just nine minutes earlier was given his marching orders as the Italian defender deceived the referee into thinking he had been fouled.
Inter retook the lead through substitute Pio Esposito in the 76th minute, but a resilient Juventus team responded through captain Manuel Locatelli seven minutes later, while Piotr Zielinski netted the winner for the league leaders in the 90th minute.
However, while the night wasn’t about Inter’s important win in San Siro, the outside world criticized their embarrassing behavior to get Pierre Kalulu sent off, while referee Federico La Penna was also not spared any blushes.
Embarrassing Inter and incompetent La Penna decide Derby d’Italia
Bastoni, who clearly deceived the referee into booking Kalulu, also disgracefully celebrated the red card, knowing what it meant for the context of the game, adding to his anti-sportmanship behavior and insult to injury for Juve.
While it is understandable that he dived to earn the foul, the fact that Federico La Penna was also quick to brandish another yellow was also suspicious, because that was needless, even if a foul was committed in that sequence of play.
The event highlighted the referee’s incompetence, which should not be an excuse for Serie A in its biggest fixture, because there is no remedy for the loss of Juventus, who are just picking themselves up under Luciano Spalletti.
Apology issued to Juventus Gianluca Rocchi, head of Serie A referees, has sent a formal apology to Juventus following Pierre Kalulu’s sending-off against Inter Milan. He said;
“We are deeply sorry for this incident: for the decision, which was clearly wrong, and for the fact that we were unable to use VAR to correct it.
The referee of the match is devastated and we are close to him, but I have to tell you the truth — he is not the only one who made a mistake: because yesterday, there was a blatant dive.”
Calls for Bastoni’s Italy axe
The controversy, which has come at a point when Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso is finalizing his squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup playoff semi-final against Northern Ireland, and there have been suggestions to drop Bastoni.
Pundit Alessandro Jacobone urged Gattuso to leave him at home, while TMW’s Luca Calamai questioned if such a player deserves to represent Italy on the global stage.
As the federation and coaching staff weigh the outcry, the incident has overshadowed Inter’s derby win and and while they are three points to the good, it does not sit well on the reputation of a club of Inter’s stature, especially in a fixture that’ll not be removed from mind anytime soon.
Kalulu Rule and what it means for football
Following Pierre Kalulu’s controversial dismissal, IFAB is poised to overhaul VAR protocols at its Annual General Meeting on February 28 ahead of the summer World Cup in North America.
The proposed Kalulu Rule would allow officials to review second yellow cards, closing a loophole that currently leaves referees powerless against simulation.
Aimed at streamlining the 2026 World Cup, further reforms include VAR checks for wrongly awarded corners and strict 8–10 second countdowns for restarts to curb time-wasting.
These specific extensions, supported by legendary referee Pierluigi Collina, represent a pivotal shift toward ensuring competitive matches are defined by accuracy rather than officiating errors.
Kehinde-Hassan Afolabi
