The Italian Referees Association (AIA) has sparked fierce controversy by naming Federico La Penna as the best referee of the 2025-26 Serie A season, despite his central role in the campaign’s most disputed dismissal.
La Penna received the prestigious Giovanni Mauro Award, the highest honour for match officials in Italian football, recognising him as the referee who most distinguished himself throughout the campaign. However, the decision has drawn widespread criticism due to the official’s erroneous sending-off of Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu during the crucial clash against Inter.
The incident occurred when La Penna issued a second yellow card to Kalulu for an alleged foul on Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni. The decision was almost universally condemned as incorrect, with replays showing that Bastoni had simulated contact rather than being fouled. At the time, VAR protocols prevented officials from intervening in second yellow card decisions, leaving La Penna’s mistake unrectified despite clear evidence of simulation.
The controversy proved significant enough to prompt a fundamental change in officiating protocols worldwide. From this season onwards, VAR officials now possess the authority to intervene when referees err in awarding second yellow cards. This alteration applies both to Serie A and the World Cup, marking a substantial shift in how mistaken decisions involving cautions are handled at the highest level of the game.
Although La Penna officiated numerous matches throughout the campaign, the AIA’s decision to honour him with the season’s top award has surprised many observers within Italian football. The Kalulu dismissal is widely regarded as the biggest officiating error of the Serie A season, creating an uncomfortable contrast with the recognition of the referee’s overall performance across multiple fixtures.
The Giovanni Mauro Award represents the pinnacle of achievement for Italian referees, making the choice to bestow it upon La Penna particularly contentious among supporters and pundits alike. Critics argue that honouring an official responsible for such a high-profile mistake undermines the credibility of officiating standards in Italy’s top flight, especially given the decisive nature of the error in a major fixture between two of the league’s most successful clubs.
Nevertheless, the AIA has maintained its position, recognising La Penna’s body of work across the entire season despite the singular, costly error that ultimately helped reshape VAR regulations across both domestic and international football.