HOW ALESSANDRO BASTONI’S "ENTHUSIASTIC" DIVE TIPPED THE DERBY D’ITALIA
Injustice at San Siro? Read the full breakdown of Alessandro Bastoni’s dive, Pierre Kalulu’s red card, and the Rocchi apology.
Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni is in hot water after he drew a second yellow card for Juventus rival Pierre Kalulu, leading to a controversial red card in a wild Serie A match at San Siro. Juventus finished with ten men and lost 3-2. The head of officiating in Italy even apologised to Juve afterwards, but honestly, apologies don’t give back the points they lost. When the final whistle blew, you could see the frustration all over Juve’s faces.
Kalulu, a French international who’s been linked to Premier League clubs, saw red in the 42nd minute. The referee said he yanked Bastoni’s shirt, but replays showed there was no contact. Bastoni hit the turf anyway, selling the foul, and the ref bought it. VAR couldn’t do anything about it, since it can’t review yellow cards, so the call stood. To make things worse, Inter grabbed a winner in the 90th minute.
Juve’s coach Luciano Spalletti and football director Giorgio Chiellini marched straight to referee Federico La Penna at halftime, furious. After the match, Chiellini told reporters, “What happened is unacceptable. We’re here, not Spalletti, for a reason.”
Damien Comolli, Juve’s chief executive, didn’t hold back either. “It was a total injustice. Juve lost three points, but Italian football lost even more. To our fans, I’m sorry for what they saw. We can’t fight, win, or even play under these circumstances. To Juve, I say we’re united against this, and we’re not giving up.”
The fallout didn’t end there. Serie A’s referee boss, Gianluca Rocchi, admitted the decision was wrong and said he wished VAR could have helped. He also called out players who try to “cheat” the officials. “We’re really disappointed not just with La Penna’s mistake, which was obvious, but also because VAR couldn’t fix it,” Rocchi told Ansa. “La Penna feels terrible, and we feel for him. But he’s not the only one at fault. There was a clear dive, just the latest in a league where players try everything to trick us.”
Rocchi said Serie A referees own up to their mistakes, but he’s frustrated by coaches who pile on rather than support the officials. “They’ve never helped us, just made our job harder,” he said. Then, pointing fingers at players who bend the rules, he added, “Some people need to take a good look at themselves. I’m talking about those who step on the pitch and act like this.”
PULISIC HITS BACK: MILAN STAR SHUTS DOWN 2026 GOAL DROUGHT CONCERNS
"I haven't stopped dreaming." Christian Pulisic addresses his goal drought and the frustration of missing out on the Gold Cup squad.
Christian Pulisic isn’t holding back. When critics started questioning his recent form and worried about his 2026 goal drought, he shut them down, calling those concerns “bad questions". The AC Milan forward, fresh off his Time magazine cover, still trusts his ability to step up for the USMNT as they gear up to co-host the World Cup.
All eyes are on him.
The U.S. is set to share the stage for the 2026 World Cup, and Pulisic is set to become the go-to guy for the national team. Landing on the cover of Time isn’t something soccer stars from America get every day, and it just shows how big a deal he’s become, especially after proving himself in Europe. But right as people are finally giving him mainstream recognition, he’s under the microscope for not putting up his usual numbers in front of the goal.
He’s not fazed by the dip.
When Time asked about his goal drought and how he’s handling not scoring for club or country this year, Pulisic didn’t mince words; he’s not sweating it. “I plan on scoring goals. Such bad questions. I’m not concerned about it, man.” You can hear the confidence in his voice.
Dealing with the noise
Pulisic admits this stretch feels extra tough. Missing out on last June’s Gold Cup squad hurt him, mostly because he’s used to shutting people up with his play. “Normally, I just go out there and score, and that quiets everybody. Right now, I’m in my offseason, so everyone’s talking, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s what’s frustrating.”
For Pulisic, attacking is everything. “Going at the goal, creating attacks, that’s what I live for. Sure, you have to do all the other stuff: defend, run, whatever. That’s fine. But what really gives me joy is finding ways to score and actually scoring.”
Chasing the dream
The U.S. opens their World Cup run against Paraguay at the SoFi Stadium on June 12, and Pulisic will lead the team right here at home. He doesn’t like making big public predictions, but at 27, he keeps that childhood dream alive. “That’s just not how I work. But I’ll lie in bed and imagine myself holding the World Cup trophy. I did that when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped. You need to believe. Why not?”
WHY DID LAUTARO MARTINEZ REJECT A CAREER-DEFINING MOVE TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
"I love Milan." Read why 28-year-old Lautaro Martinez rejected Manchester United and Arsenal to stay at the San Siro in 2026.
Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has clearly put an end to any speculation about leaving San Siro, making it known that he has no plans to entertain offers from Europe’s top clubs. Even with regular links to teams like Barcelona, Manchester United, and Arsenal, the Argentine forward is fully committed to what’s happening in Milan.
Martinez has been quite vocal about his dedication to Inter amid constant rumours about his future. Despite frequent connections to some of the biggest clubs on the continent, he insists there’s no reason for him to move on from the current Serie A champions.
Media reports have often tied him to Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United. But through various transfer windows, Martinez has consistently pushed back on the idea of leaving Inter. At 28, he remains a key figure in the team’s current setup and has stepped up as the club’s captain and on-field leader.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Martinez expressed his loyalty to Inter’s project. He made it clear that he isn’t interested in changing clubs despite the speculation.
He said, “No, because I am faithful to the Inter project, I feel at home here. My family is happy, we have a restaurant in the city, and we love Milan. From the first day, everyone treated me in a way I didn’t think possible. I achieved so many personal and team goals here.”
Success on the pitch seems to deepen his connection to the club. Inter recently secured another league title and continues to chase trophies, including the Coppa Italia. On an individual level, Martinez is eyeing the Capocannoniere prize as Serie A’s top scorer. His steady performances underline why he’s considered one of the most reliable forwards in European football.
Since his move from Racing Club in 2018, Martinez has become the defining presence in Inter’s modern lineup. With 173 goals over 372 competitive games, it’s clear how vital he is to the team.
Looking ahead, the club sees Martinez as a central piece in their long-term plans. His leadership and scoring ability make him hard to replace. Settled both on and off the field in Milan, he seems set on continuing his story at the Giuseppe Meazza, despite ongoing interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
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