AS Roma Accuses Zaniolo Of Drunking And Attacking Two Young Players

Nicolo Zaniolo is accused of attacking two young AS Roma players in the Primavera (Instagram/@acffiorentina) match.

JAKARTA - AS Roma accused Fiorentina winger Nicolo Zaniolo of keeping two young Giallorossi hospitalized.

In addition, Zaniolo was also accused of urinating in the dressing room of the young AS Roma team at Viola Park, which was referred to as abusive and unjustified behavior.

The incident allegedly occurred after Fiorentina beat Roma in the semi-finals of the Primavera youth league title on Monday, May 26, 2025, local time.

Zaniolo previously denied wrongdoing after Roma issued a statement accusing him of showing provocative behavior and allegedly attacking two young players physically.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) later reportedly opened an investigation on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, local time.

However, Roma released a new statement on the same day, demanding a thorough investigation into the facts.

"On the night of May 26, 2025, after the semifinals of the Primavera Fiorentina vs AS Roma match at Viola Park, Nicolo Zaniolo (the main team of Fiorentina) illegally entered the Roma dressing room area accompanied by a colleague even though he did not have any accreditation."

"Witnesses reported that Zaniolo looked drunk. He urinated at Rome's facility, provoking players and without further ado hitting Mattia AlmaIVA and pushing Marco Litti roughly onto the bench."

"Litti has just undergone shoulder surgery. The two players need hospital treatment. Almaviva received a 10-day recovery prognosis, Litti 21 days."

"AS Roma fully supports its young players and is shocked by the violent and unjustified behavior witnessed at Viola Park."

"We believe that these institutions will act decisively to ensure accountability and protect the values of Italian football," AS Roma said in a statement.

Zaniolo kemudian membantah tudingan pihak AS Roma dengan menyebut bahwa fakta-fakta yang dibeberasikan tidak sesuai dengan kenyataan.

"I came there with the only intention to give a positive message. Unfortunately, I was verbally provoked by a boy. Wrongly, I lost my patience."

"However, I want to show that these facts are far from what has been reconstructed. That on my part, apart from verbal arguments, there is no physical aggressive behavior."

"I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for what happened yesterday. I know I reacted badly and I am responsible for that," Zaniolo wrote on Instagram in response to Roma's initial statement.

Zaniolo was loaned to Fiorentina from Galatasaray. He joined the Turkish team from AS Roma after five years at the Olimpico, where he was named Serie A's best young player in 2019.

The 25-year-old was in the Viola Park stands watching the Primavera match.

He is considered one of Italy's most promising prospects and made his international debut as a teenager in 2019.

However, injury thwarted his career. He has not appeared for Italy since missing from Euro 2024 after suffering a metatarsal injury during a loan spell at Aston Villa in the last game of the season.