Roma Accuses Zaniolo of Hitting Two Youth Players in Dressing Room Clash
Roma Accuses Zaniolo of Assaulting Youth Players After Primavera Clash
Roma has accused Nicolò Zaniolo, currently on loan at Fiorentina from Galatasaray, of punching two youth players during a post-match altercation in the dressing room.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, May 26, after Fiorentina defeated Roma in the semi-final of the Primavera Scudetto play-offs at Viola Park. Zaniolo, watching from the stands, allegedly entered the Roma dressing room uninvited and provoked several players, leading to a physical confrontation.
In an official statement, Roma condemned the behavior, stating:
“Following today’s match, a regrettable incident occurred involving Nicolò Zaniolo. He allegedly entered the Primavera dressing room and acted provocatively, leading to two players being physically struck. AS Roma firmly condemns all forms of aggressive conduct.”
Sportitalia reports that Zaniolo was not authorized to be in the dressing area. Tensions were already high, with Fiorentina fans reportedly insulting Roma players from the stands.
Fiorentina later issued a statement sharing Zaniolo’s account. He claimed:
“I went into the locker room to congratulate our lads and passed by the Roma room to salute them. They started insulting me, so I left to avoid any escalation.”
Zaniolo rose to fame at Roma but forced a move in January 2023. After transferring to Galatasaray, he had unsuccessful loan spells at Aston Villa, Atalanta, and now Fiorentina, with no club opting for a permanent deal.
He began his career at Fiorentina’s academy before moving to Virtus Entella, where he debuted in Serie B. A move to Inter Milan followed, then a breakout stint at Roma, where he won the 2018–19 Serie A Young Player of the Year award.
