Ex-Serie A coach fires back at Chiellini: ‘I experienced what wasn’t football’

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Lorenzo Bettoni | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 10:03 AM ET

Former Serie A coach Serse Cosmi responds to Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini, who complained about the officiating in the Bianconeri’s 3-2 loss against Inter: ‘I experienced what wasn’t football.’

Ex-Serie A coach Cosmi criticises Juventus director Chiellini, who had raged at a red card shown to Pierre Kalulu in Saturday’s Serie A match against Inter.

Kalulu’s red card infuriates Chiellini and Juventus

MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 14: Pierre Kalulu of Juventus reacts as he walks off after being sent off by Referee Federico La Penna (not pictured) for a second yellow card offence during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

The French defender received a second yellow card for a foul on Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni, who appeared to go down too easily and then celebrated when his opponent was sent off.

Inter coach Cristian Chivu said the Juventus defender should not have put his hands on Bastoni, while Chiellini angrily confronted the referee inside the tunnel and then voiced his frustration to the media, arguing that it was “impossible to talk about football” after such a mistake.

“I didn’t like any of the words,” Cosmi told Sport Mediaset via Corriere dello Sport.

Cosmi tells Chiellini: ‘I experienced what wasn’t football’

“Not those Cristian Chivu, from whom I expected something different considering his intelligence, but I also didn’t like Giorgio Chiellini’s, who came to tell us this isn’t football. With all due respect, I experienced what wasn’t football.”

Cosmi’s reference was to the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, which saw Juventus being stripped of two titles and relegated to Serie B.

Cosmi was the Udinese coach in 2005-06, but remained in charge of the Bianconeri for just 24 games as he was sacked in February 2006.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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