Roma accuse Zaniolo of 'violent behaviour'

Nicolo Zaniolo has joined three different clubs on loan in the last two seasons

Former Aston Villa midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has been accused of provoking Roma's youth-team players, with one of them reportedly "physically struck" following a match on Monday.

The alleged incident happened after Fiorentina's Under-20s beat their Roma counterparts in the Italian Primavera semi-final.

Zaniolo - who joined Fiorentina on loan from Galatasaray in February, having left Roma in 2023 - attended the match.

Roma alleged the 25-year-old entered their dressing room "despite lacking accreditation" after the match and "engaged in provocative behaviour towards some of the Giallorossi youth players".

An updated club statement added: "Witnesses report Zaniolo appeared visibly intoxicated.

"He urinated in Roma facilities, provoked players and, without verbal exchange, physically struck Mattia Almaviva and violently pushed Marco Litti against a bench.

"Litti had recently undergone shoulder surgery. Both players required hospitalisation - Almaviva received a 10-day recovery prognosis, Litti 21 days.

"AS Roma stands firmly by its youth players and is appalled by the violent and unjustifiable behaviour witnessed at Viola Park.

"We trust that the institutions will act decisively to ensure accountability and protect the values of Italian football."

Responding to the claims in a statement released by Fiorentina, Zaniolo said: "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 say hello and congratulate them on the season.

"At a certain point they started insulting me so, at that point, to avoid the situation degenerating, I preferred to leave."

The Italian international, who had a loan spell at Villa in the 2023-24 season, posted a statement on social media, saying "there was no physically aggressive behaviour," and "the facts are far from what has been reconstructed".

He added: "Unfortunately, I was verbally provoked by a boy and, mistakenly, I lost my temper.

"Having said that, I renew my apologies. As a man, as an athlete and as a person who loves this environment, I just want to rebuild and look ahead with humility."

Zaniolo - who scored the winning goal for Roma in the 2022 Uefa Conference League final - left the club in 2023 to join Galatasaray, and has also had a temporary spell at Atalanta.