Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has launched a strong defense of Alessandro Bastoni following the fallout from Inter’s chaotic 3-2 victory over Juventus.
The Derby d’Italia was defined by a controversial moment involving Bastoni and Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu. While replays confirmed that Bastoni went to ground without significant contact, the incident led to a second yellow card for Kalulu, forcing Juventus to play with ten men for much of the match.
Despite the numerical advantage, Inter struggled to contain a resilient Juventus side, only securing the win in the 90th minute through Piotr Zielinski. In the days following the match, the atmosphere turned toxic as Bastoni became the target of severe online abuse and death threats, eventually forcing the defender to deactivate comments on his Instagram profile.
Speaking at a Lega Calcio event, as reported by Il Bianconero, Marotta addressed the backlash: “Our position is very simple. There has been a truly disproportionate media stance. Bastoni has been the subject of a media pillory that goes beyond what happened.”
“Bastoni has never been the protagonist of sensational events, he is an asset of the National Team. They have even questioned his call-up, which is truly unfair. He certainly made a mistake, but who hasn’t? There have been players who became famous for simulations. It is a regrettable but ordinary fact, not extraordinary. The referee’s decision was wrong and I recognize that. Bastoni performed an inappropriate gesture, but he must be justified. Repression is not part of my toolkit.”
Marotta then commented on the reactions from Juventus, specifically targeting Giorgio Chiellini: “I often notice a certain ignorance in knowing the regulatory aspects that should instead be known to everyone, including the players.”
“There is disappointment as a man. Greeting Chiellini is the minimum; he is a young and inexperienced director, I do not allow myself to give him advice. We spoke. These are dynamics that happen in the locker rooms. Is the media clamor higher than in other cases? It’s normal, Inter is the team that has totaled the most trophies and points.”
Finally, Marotta compared the recent incident to a controversial match from 2021: “Chaos only when it concerns Inter? The answer is that Inter has been the most successful team in recent years. I only remember one small episode regarding simulations: Juventus-Inter 2021, clear simulation by Cuadrado, referee Calvarese.”
“It was clarified by all refereeing bodies that it was a clear simulation. With that victory, Juve obtained qualification for the Champions League and the beauty of 60-70 million. Period.”