Article by Daniel Scorpie – Published Monday, February 16, 2026, 10:05 / Updated Monday, February 16, 2026 10:09
The statements of Cristi Chivu, who came to the defense of Alessandro Bastoni, after causing the free elimination of Pierre Kalulu in the derby won by Inter (3-2) against Juventus, attracted criticism from his former coach from AS Roma.
After Alessandro Del Piero criticized Chivu for his stance in the media regarding the episode that ignited controversy in the last Derby d'Italia, another legend of Italian football attacked the coach of Inter.
It wasn't even a foul. The referee should have hesitated a bit more before awarding the yellow card. With such decisions you only heat up the spirits on the field, you have to assess the situation correctly. When you have an episode that is clearly in your favor, you are not satisfied. Maybe in a few days he will figure it out
– Alessandro Del Pierothe former great player of Juventus
Also because of the way he bailed on Alessandro Bastoni, who forced Pierre Kalulu's second yellow card through obvious foul play.
Referee Federico La Penna removes Kalulu at the end of the first half of the Inter – Juventus 3-2 derby / Photo: Imago
Capello: It was a terrible thing for all football fans to see Bastoni cheating the referee with blatant simulation!”
Instead of the central defender of the Nerazzurri being warned for the second time and leaving the field, at the end of the half Juventus remained numerically inferior, a decisive detail in the outcome of the game won by the leader of Serie A (3-2) on “Giuseppe Meazza”.
In the editorial published today in the print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabio Capello does not forgive Chivu and believes that he was wrong.
“Two things particularly struck me about the controversial episode at San Siro. First: a player like Bastoni, an international and a key figure in Gattuso's team, cannot and, above all, must not behave like this!
It was a terrible thing for all football fans to see him cheat the referee with a blatant fake, especially as he was also booked and risking a second warning.
“Chivu gave the impression that he justified what happened. But more than his words, his actions matter”
Second: I know Chivu very well. He was my player in Roma, but his comments after the game disappointed me deeply.
Chivu's name, chanted by an entire stadium / Imago Images
The Nerazzurri coach was not consistent with what he had said before the game and in the end gave the impression that he was justifying what happened.” criticized the great Capello (79 years old).
The ex-Techncian who won, among other things, four Serie A titles and a Champions League with AC Milan plus two La Liga titles, concluded: “But more than words spoken, it's his actions that matter.
Chivu took Bastoni off at half-time because he knew exactly what he was risking if he stayed on the pitch after his lack of fair play that led to Kalulu's red card. I would have expected statements of a completely different nature, especially after a victory against Juventus”.
Chivu walks a very clear line. No one understands, feels the locker room better than him! The new coach has done well to get into the minds of his players, especially after the difficult end of last season. He rotates his starters a lot and well, because he has a decent squad, a strong team and few weak points
– Fabio Capellothree weeks ago
