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Fiorentina star Nicolo Zaniolo has been accused of assault and violence by his former club AS Roma.
The Italian star was with Roma from 2018 to 2023 before leaving the club. He currently plays for Fiorentina in the Serie A.
AS Roma, the club that launched his career, has made serious accusations against the Fiorentina midfielder.
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Roma accuses Zaniolo
The Zaniolo scandal just got a whole lot messier with some shocking new details coming out, making an already tricky situation even worse.
"He provoked our players and, without any verbal exchange, physically assaulted Mattia Almaviva and violently shoved Marco Litti into a bench." The young Roma players now face a combined month of hospital treatment.
Nicolo Zaniolo has been spiralling out of control recently, squandering his talent with episodes that are damaging his career.
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The midfielder, on loan from Galatasaray, caused serious trouble on Monday, leading AS Roma to release an official statement condemning the 25-year-old and openly accusing him of serious misconduct.
According to reports from Sportal, the Italian club is calling on authorities to take action.
"On the evening of May 26th, following the Fiorentina vs. AS Roma 2-1 Primavera semi-final at Viola Park, Nicolò Zaniolo (a player on Fiorentina's senior team) illegally entered Roma's locker room area, accompanied by an acquaintance, despite not having accreditation," the statement from the Rome-based club begins.
"According to eyewitness accounts, Zaniolo appeared visibly intoxicated. He urinated in the areas reserved for Roma, provoked the players, and without any verbal exchange, struck Mattia Almaviva and violently pushed Marco Litti into a bench."
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Litti was recovering from shoulder surgery. Both players were hospitalised: Almaviva received a 10-day prognosis, while Litti requires 21 days of medical care.
AS Roma expresses its solidarity with its young players and is deeply disgusted by the violent and unjustified behavior that occurred at Viola Park. We trust that the relevant authorities will act decisively to ensure justice is served and to protect the values of Italian football," the club concluded.
Nicolo Zaniolo apologise, but he could face legal action.
The following afternoon, the Italian international apologized on social media, offering his own version of events. He denied the physical assault, admitting only to verbal provocation.
"At the end of the match, I went down to the locker room to congratulate the Fiorentina boys, and then I went to the Roma locker room to greet and congratulate them on their season. But at some point they started insulting me, so at that moment, to prevent the situation from escalating, I preferred to leave," said Fiorentina midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.
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Following the serious incident, prosecutors have opened an investigation, which could have criminal implications and lead to a lengthy suspension for the former Roma player, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
A former Roma player from 2018 to 2023, Zaniolo was sold to Galatasaray, who then loaned him to Aston Villa (2023-2024), then to Atalanta (2024-2025), and this season he arrived at Fiorentina.
The Italian midfielder's departure from AS Roma was fraught with controversy, and every time he has faced his former team, he has been met with considerable hostility. Three weeks ago, upon his return to the Olimpico, Zaniolo was sent off after the final whistle for protesting against the referee.
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