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Juventus rivalry good for Italian football, says Roma president

Roma president James Pallotta has called for calm to return after Sunday night's controversies at the Juventus Stadium.

Juventus beat Roma 3-2 in a game which saw referee Gianluca Rocchi finish in the firing line for two penalties awarded to the home team and one to the visitors.

Rocchi also brandished two red cards -- for Roma's Kostas Manolas and Juventus' Alvaro Morata -- and sent Giallorossi coach Rudi Garcia to the stands as tempers flared in Turin.

It did not all end at the final whistle either with Francesco Totti insinuating the Bianconeri continue receiving favours from referees, former Juve midfielder Pavel Nedved telling him why he never made it to a big club and the home team's general manager Beppe Marotta condemning the Roma captain's remarks.

Leonardo Bonucci drew criticism for a tweet he insists was not meant to insult Roma fans and Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri was involved in another heated exchange with Arrigo Sacchi.

"We all need to take a deep breath and calm down a little," Pallotta said on asroma.it.

"Football is a game which goes at a thousand miles per hour and sometimes it throws up mistakes and controversies."

However, Pallotta believes Sunday night's events are just a taste of things to come. "We're two big clubs and we're heading towards a rivalry which is going to last a long time, and this can only be good for Italian football," he continued.

"We're always going to be proud of our team. We love our spirit and we will soon be back fighting to reach the top. Start getting used to it. Forza Roma!"

Bonucci also attempted to lower the tones by claiming his "wash your mouths out" tweet was misinterpreted.

"I absolutely did not want to be controversial," he said at a news conference while on duty with the Italy national team.

"I have the utmost respect for Roma's fans and players, some of whom are with us here, and their director of sport [Walter] Sabatini and the club.

"Anybody who knows me knows that it was just my way of celebrating towards my friends and it was not in any way meant to offend."

Bonucci received a warning from Italy coach Antonio Conte, who will not tolerate a repeat.

"Our coach has been very clear about it," said the Italy national team general manager Gabriele Oriali in Coverciano.

"Bonucci made a mistake and he knows he made a mistake. We're accepting his apologies, but there are rules to abide by. We all wear the same colour shirt here and if it happens again, there will be consequences."

Rocchi is also likely to be given a warning by being rested for the next two rounds of Serie A matches, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The next refereeing assignments are not due to be announced until a week on Thursday, but the Florence-based official is likely to be protected from any further controversy by being left out.

Meanwhile, the company which runs the airport of Turin, SAGAT, have issued an apology after Roma's players and staff were insulted by fans on their departure from the city on Sunday night.

One fan used a microphone at one of the boarding gates to send his insults over the airport's public address system.

"Turin airport would like to apologise to the team and the city of Rome," said a statement released by SAGAT.

"As the Roma players were boarding, some passengers present in the departures area made insulting comments about the team using a microphone at one of the gates which was not being used at the time and, as such, was not attended to by a SAGAT employee."