The last week in Italian football has been dominated by the controversy surrounding Juventus' 3-2 victory over Roma in Turin.
A thrilling clash was overshadowed by the refereeing of Gianluca Rocchi. The official awarded three debatable penalties - two of them to the home side - and also failed to disallow Leonardo Bonucci's winning goal despite Arturo Vidal interfering with play in an offside position. Rocchi dished out three red cards, one of them to Roma coach Rudi Garcia.
The Giallorossi were furious after the game. Garcia, later fined, sniped that "in Turin the penalty area is larger". Francesco Totti complained: "By hook or by crook they always win. Juventus should have their own league. When there is any doubt whatsoever, it's always a penalty."
Juventus hit back against these accusations. Alvaro Morata, who was sent off, told Goal that "if Roma had won, they wouldn't have said anything". CEO Giuseppe Marotta branded Totti's words "unacceptable" and director Pavel Nedved argued that actually "referees fear awarding Juve calls".
The controversy has re-opened the age-old debate over whether Juventus receive more penalties from referees than the rest of Serie A. With the help of Opta, Goal has tallied up every penalty awarded in Serie A since the beginning of the 2009-10 season to determine whether there is any basis to these complaints.
| SERIE A PENALTIES WON EACH SEASON | TOP 10 CLUBS |
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
| Roma (11) | Roma (13) | Catania (11) | Napoli (11) | Fiorentina (12) | Juve (3) |
| Milan (10) | Napoli (10) | Inter (11) | Juve (11) | Genoa (9) | Cagliari (2) |
| Bari (10) | Samp (8) | Milan (10) | Milan (11) | Napoli (9) | Milan (2) |
| Genoa (10) | Bari (8) | Napoli (9) | Fiorentina (10) | Lazio (8) | Torino (2) |
| Catania (9) | Udinese (7) | Parma (8) | Cagliari (10) | Cagliari (8) | Others (1) |
| Palermo (9) | Milan (6) | Fiorentina (8) | Lazio (9) | Udinese (8) | |
| Cagliari (7) | Brescia (6) | Siena (8) | Roma (7) | Verona (8) | |
| Udinese (7) | Inter (6) | Novara (7) | Siena (7) | Torino (8) | |
| Inter (6) | Juve (5) | Lazio (7) | Samp (7) | Sassuolo (8) | |
| Lazio (6) | Cesena (5) | Lecce (7) | Chievo (6) | Chievo (7) |