The Sports Judge has issued the decisions arising from the incidents at the final whistle of Cagliari-Juventus on Sunday. The headline outcome for Juventus: Luciano Spalletti has been suspended for one match of effective play, meaning he will be absent from the Allianz Stadium dugout for next weekend’s home fixture against Lazio. Fabio Pisacane received the same sanction.
The Rulings on Spalletti and Pisacane
The official communication from the Sports Judge is precise in its attribution of blame. Spalletti is cited for having adopted “a provocatory attitude” towards his opposing manager, contributing to the creation of tension between members of the two benches. Pisacane’s one-match ban, by contrast, is characterised as “a reaction” to the provocatory behaviour of the Juventus manager — meaning the disciplinary authority accepted the Cagliari manager’s position that he was responding rather than initiating. Both receive identical sanctions. Spalletti, as the one characterised as the initiator, may find this asymmetry useful for any appeal; equally he may conclude that a one-match ban is not worth the administrative effort of contesting.
The consequence is practical and immediate: Spalletti is absent from the Juventus-Lazio Serie A fixture at the Allianz Stadium. His assistant takes charge from the touchline. The Celta Vigo Europa League match on Thursday night is unaffected — the ban applies to the next Serie A fixture only.
Other Bans and Fines from Matchday 6
Among players, one-match bans were issued to Malen of Roma for a challenge judged serious by the Sports Judge, Elmas of Atalanta for a serious foul, and Lucchesi of Monza for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Como manager José Sambade Carreira received a one-match ban and a €3,000 fine for disrespectful language directed at the referee at half-time.
Among clubs, Lecce received the heaviest fine — €8,000 for flares, smoke bombs, and bottles thrown by their supporters. Atalanta were fined €5,000 for an offensive banner directed at federation leadership. Monza were fined €5,000 for chants against an opposing club president. Cagliari received two fines: €4,000 for three smoke bombs thrown, and €3,000 for a roughly two-minute delay in restarting the second half. Genoa were fined €3,000 for a similar delay. Bologna, Lecce, and Roma were each fined €4,000 for unjustified delays to kick-off. Frosinone, Milan, and Napoli were each fined €2,000 for approximately one-minute delays to first-half starts.
