Massimo Moratti has weighed in on the refereeing controversy that exploded after Pierre Kalulu’s sending-off in Inter–Juventus at San Siro, openly criticising Juventus’ reaction and offering a nuanced defence of Alessandro Bastoni. The former Inter president, speaking to Radio Rai, also reflected on simulations in football, the pressure on Bastoni, and Inter’s title prospects.
Reacting to reports that John Elkann had called FIGC president Gabriele Gravina after the match, Moratti did not hold back.
“John Elkann called Gabriele Gravina? Times have changed, now Juve complain and play the victim. It seems to me they have exaggerated a bit with the protests, as if Juve were a terrible victim of Italian football, while the history of Italian football does not remember them like that. Old stories come to mind.”
“Enthusiastic Simulation” by Bastoni
Moratti admitted that simulations remain a sore point for him, but described Bastoni’s behaviour in a particular way.
“Simulations are annoying, even those of someone who takes a hit on the chest and pretends to have received it in the face. Bastoni’s simulation is an enthusiastic simulation, he made an incredible jump after the opponent stretched out his arm. This put Bastoni in a position to take advantage of the situation. Let’s say the lad got carried away with this opportunity, which ended up in an injustice, Kalulu had not committed a serious foul.”
In his view, Bastoni exploited the contact too eagerly, but the real injustice, he suggested, was the severity of the punishment for Kalulu.
“Poor Bastoni, He’s in the Middle of a Storm”
Moratti then turned to the backlash surrounding the Inter defender and the debate over a possible exclusion from the national team.
“Bastoni is now in the middle of a storm, poor lad. Excluding him from the national team? I think Gattuso can avoid punishing him. For Bastoni, the attack he is suffering from everyone, whether fair or unfair, is already a punishment. Bastoni made a mistake, but it doesn’t seem worthwhile for Gattuso to get involved as well, especially since he doesn’t have a very strong national team.”
He also reflected on how technology has affected the game.
“VAR has complicated football a lot, even if it has created an almost certainty of judgment.”
What Moratti Would Have Done as President
Asked how he would have handled such a case if he were still president, Moratti chose caution and shifted the focus to the people currently in charge.
“What would I have done as president? You have to see which player does it, and when he does it. I don’t know the player well enough. Chivu is a very serious person, he resembles Mourinho more than you might think: he is young, he understands the players immediately and he has a good group at his disposal. Scudetto? Inter are on the right track, let’s not say more.”
