Inter’s support for Bastoni after social media threats, but Juventus overreacted – report

Inter have shown support for their star Alessandro Bastoni after the Italian defender was subjected to social media abuse, and according to Gazzetta, the Nerazzurri feel the Juventus’ reaction was blown out of proportion.

Inter directors and coach Cristian Chivu sent support to their defender Bastoni on Sunday.

Inter send support to Bastoni

The Italy international had received hate messages and threats on social media after celebrating Pierre Kalulu’s red card during Inter-Juventus. Bastoni went down far too easily in a challenge with the French defender, causing a second yellow card.

Tension is so high that, according to Repubblica, Bastoni’s decision to disable comments on his social media accounts and those of his wife came under suggestion from the Italian Police.

According to Gazzetta, Bastoni was taken aback by the scale of online abuse, which even extended to his younger daughter. Italian sources claim that Bastoni spoke for a long time on the phone with Chivu and Inter directors on Sunday, receiving full support from his club.

‘No one at Inter considers him a diver in the slightest, with everyone viewing the incident as nothing more than a simple yellow-card incident,’ wrote Gazzetta.

Inter unhappy with Juventus’ reaction

At the same time, the Nerazzurri feel that the Juventus’ reaction was blown out of proportion as the Bianconeri directors confronted the referee inside the tunnel at half-time and sent Giorgio Chiellini and Damien Comolli in front of the media after the match, rather than coach Luciano Spalletti.

Gazzetta notes that Chiellini’s pointed comments after the match particularly rubbed Inter the wrong way. Having won the 2021 Euros alongside Bastoni, the former Juventus defender is regarded by the Inter star as one of the best centre-backs of the past decade, having seen firsthand the full spectrum of the ex-national captain’s skills, including his shrewdness in certain defensive situations.