Juventus duo Giorgio Chiellini and Damien Comolli hit with suspensions and fines for tunnel bust-up with referee after controversial defeat to Inter

The disciplinary fallout from the Derby d'Italia has been swift and severe, with the Italian sporting judge handing down heavy sanctions following the chaotic scenes at San Siro. The harshest punishment has been reserved for Juventus CEO Comolli, who has been banned from all football activities until March 31, 2026. The severity of the ban reflects the gravity of the incident detailed in the official match report, which describes an executive who completely lost his composure in the heat of the moment.

The report paints a disturbing picture of the interval, stating that Comolli displayed an "aggressive and seriously intimidating attitude" towards referee La Penna. The situation escalated rapidly in the tunnel, where the CEO reportedly attempted to make physical contact with the official. He was only prevented from doing so by the physical intervention of the Juventus coaching staff and other club employees, who had to restrain him. Furthermore, Comolli was cited for using "gravely insulting" language, a tirade that reportedly continued even outside the officials' dressing room long after the teams had separated.

The official findings suggest that the half-time interval teetered on the brink of a physical brawl. The image of a high-ranking club executive having to be held back by his own technical team has resulted in a €15,000 fine to accompany Comolli's lengthy suspension. However, he was not the only Juventus director to let his frustrations boil over.

Chiellini, a man who spent decades battling in these high-stakes fixtures as a player, also found himself in the crosshairs of the sporting judge. The legendary former defender turned director will be sidelined from official duties until February 27, 2026. While his conduct was deemed less physically threatening than Comolli's, the report noted that Chiellini contested the referee's performance in a "disrespectful manner." He was also cited for directing "offensive criticisms" at the assistant referees as the tunnel melee unfolded, adding to the sense of total breakdown in relations between the club and the officials.

The root cause of this administrative explosion was the dismissal of Kalulu for a second yellow card - a decision Juventus firmly believe was manufactured by a clear simulation from the opposition. With replays appearing to show minimal contact, the sense of injustice within the Bianconeri camp has morphed into a direct attack on the governance of Italian referees. Chiellini did not mince words in the aftermath, turning his fire on referee designator Gianluca Rocchi and demanding systemic change.

"We cannot talk about football after what happened today. Something truly unacceptable happened today, no matter whether it happens to us or someone else," Chiellini raged, clearly feeling that the standard of officiating has reached a crisis point. "Starting tomorrow it seems VAR must change, because it is unacceptable that so many errors continue to happen even in big matches like this." 

Comolli went even further, framing the incident not just as a loss for Juventus, but as a black eye for the entire Serie A brand. With the Derby d'Italia being one of the most-watched fixtures in global football, the CEO expressed deep embarrassment at the spectacle presented to the international audience.

"Clearly, as a club we feel today is very embarrassing. It's a disgrace what happened today, and we feel strongly as a club from the ownership, fans, players, to the coach, this must not happen again," Comolli remarked. He lamented the repetitive nature of these controversies, adding: "It happens again and again... tonight is a summary of what we have seen this season. For a match like this, with the whole world watching." To compound the misery for the Old Lady, the sporting judge confirmed Kalulu will serve a one-match suspension, leaving Juve shorthanded as they look to recover from this blow in their pursuit of the Scudetto.