Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini insists his side didn’t rob anyone in a controversial 3-2 win over Inter in the Derby d’Italia. In a match filled with VAR controversies, the Bianconeri managed to get all three points to keep their dream of the top-four Serie A finish alive.
Two first-half penalties, one for each side, accompanied by two second-half red cards and another spot-kick, have cast a shadow over Juventus’ monumental success at the Allianz Stadium.
Both sides benefited from questionable VAR decisions, but the Nerazzurri found themselves on the receiving end of referee Gianpaolo Calvarese’s game-changing decision to give Juve a penalty in the dying moments of the encounter.
Just a few moments after reverting his initial call to rule out Inter’s equalizer, Calvarese penalized Ivan Perisic for a clumsy challenge on Juan Cuadrado inside his own 18-yard box.
In a matter of hours, the 45-year-old has become an unpopular figure and not just among the Inter fans. The experienced referee has faced a wave of criticism from Milan and Napoli supporters, who find him guilty for boosting Juventus’ chances in the tense top-four run-in.
Calverese’s suspicious judgment has direct implications in the top-four race as the dethroned champions fought their way back into the Champions League qualifying spots, at least until tomorrow.
Juventus veteran defender Chiellini disagrees with the public opinion and is inclined to believe his side were fair winners.
“It was an important victory, a hard one against the best of Italy because they have proven that,” Chiellini told Sky Sport Italia, as reported by FCInterNews.
“We tackled well, we were team in a way we perhaps haven’t been during this year. The result was deserved, we did not steal anything.
“I wanted to clarify one thing though. We congratulated the Inter players in the tunnel. The rest is exaggerated, and in other years they never did it to us.
“I can’t say what I think (of the decisions), it won’t help. I think it is wrong for players to comment, on the pitch, our perception is different. I only speak of the game.
“In this season, we didn’t deserve more, but we’ll try to qualify for the Champions League. Then on Wednesday, we are playing for a trophy (Coppa Italia Final) which is always important. At the end of the season, we will make all the necessary assessments.”