La Penna named best referee for 2025-26 despite controversial Kalulu red card
Quick summary
Referee La Penna was awarded Serie A's best referee prize for the 2025-26 season despite a widely criticized red card shown to Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu earlier in the campaign.
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Attributed to original sourceThe Italian Referees Association sparked furious controversy after giving a special award to Federico La Penna, who made the biggest howler of the season sending off Pierre Kalulu in Inter vs. Juventus.
The AIA announced that the official from Rome would receive the prestigious Giovanni Mauro Award in recognition of being the ref who most distinguished himself in the 2025-26 season.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – MAY 17: A member of staff from US Lecce is shown a red card by referee Federico La Penna during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and US Lecce at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on May 17, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) It is considered the highest honour at the end of a Serie A campaign, so handing it to La Penna infuriated many fans and critics.
La Penna’s controversial decision FLORENCE, ITALY – JANUARY 4: Federico La Penna referee reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and US Cremonese at Artemio Franchi on January 4, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) He was involved in the most controversial incident of the entire season, when showing a second yellow card to Juventus defender Kalulu for a ‘foul’ on Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni.
It was rare in that absolutely everyone recognised it was an incorrect decision and that Bastoni had simulated contact, but VAR had its hands tied because it was not allowed to intervene for a yellow card.
It was one of the incidents that prompted the change in protocol, as in the World Cup and from this season in Serie A, the VAR will be able to inform the referee if there is an error for a second yellow card.
Although it was by no means his only game and La Penna was fooled by Bastoni, the AIA giving him the award for best referee is bound to cause consternation.
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What happened
Italian referee La Penna has been recognized as the best official of the 2025-26 Serie A season. The award comes despite one notable lowlight — a controversial red card shown to Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu, which was widely described as a refereeing error. The decision highlights the ongoing debate over consistency in Italian officiating, even as the broader body of work was judged worthy of the top honor. The award reflects an end-of-season assessment by Italian refereeing authorities.
Chance analysis
End-of-season referee awards rarely shift competitive dynamics but provide insight into how Italian officiating bodies evaluate performance. The explicit mention of the Kalulu incident suggests the award was not without controversy, and it underscores recurring concerns about VAR usage and red card thresholds in Serie A. For prediction systems, this is background context — the real officiating risks remain the underlying decision-making patterns rather than the identity of any 'best referee.'
No competitive impact — this is a ceremonial end-of-season referee award with no bearing on upcoming fixtures or team performance.
Referee awards are end-of-season recognition and do not materially affect upcoming match predictions or team availability.