Juventus player spits on a rival player and the IFF stops him for four matches

AFP
Milan: Sassuolo winger Federico Di Francesco on Tuesday rubbished claims that he provoked Juventus forward Douglas Costa with racist insults which resulted in the Brazilian spitting in his face.

Costa was sent off for aiming an elbow and headbutt before spitting in the face of Di Francesco, the son of Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco, in Sunday’s game the champions won 2-1 in Turin thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goals for the club.

Costa, 28, later posted an apology to his teammates and fans on his Instagram account, although he replied to one comment by saying that people did not know what Di Francesco had said to him.

“You don’t know what he said to me. But no big deal… I say sorry to all those who I have to say it to, because I did wrong,” Costa wrote.

And amid the speculation, 24-year-old Di Francesco hit back at suggestions he had aimed racist insults at his rival.

“I’m deeply troubled by the allegations and inventions that have appeared in some national media outlets,” Di Francesco said on Sassuolo’s Twitter account.

“All of this is offensive and derogatory. I won’t allow any racist behaviour and/or phrases, which do not belong to my ethical values and are the fruit of other people’s imagination, to be attributed to me. I ask for and demand respect!”

Costa faces a lengthy ban and a hefty fine from his club, with Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri furious with the player for “rising to provocation”.

فرض الاتحاد الإيطالي عقوبة الإيقاف على اللاعب البرازيلي دوجلاس كوستا، نجم يوفنتوس، بعدما بصق على فيدريكو دي فرانشيسكو، لاعب ساسولو، في الجولة الماضية من الدوري الإيطالي.

وقرر الاتحاد الإيطالي، ايقاف كوستا، لمدة 4 مباريات في الدوري، ليفتقد فريقه خدماته في مواجهات نابولي وفروزينوني وبولونيا وأودينيزي.

ولن يتمكن الجناح السريع، من العودة للمشاركة قبل 20 أكتوبر المقبل.

وتجددت مشادة بين اللاعبين في الدقائق الأخيرة من المباراة التي فاز فيها يوفنتوس على ساسولو 2 / 1 يوم الأحد الماضي، ليبصق كوستا على دي فرانشيسكو، قبل أن يشهر الحكم البطاقة الحمراء في وجه البرازيلي، بعد الاستعانة بتقنية الفيديو.