Zaniolo denies punching two Roma youth players

Fiorentina winger Nicolò Zaniolo could be facing a lengthy ban after Roma accused him of punching two youth team players, although he has denied those allegations.

Zaniolo watched Fiorentina’s youth team come from behind to beat the Roma youngsters 2-1 at Viola Park in the Primavera youth league title playoff semifinal on Monday.

In a club statement, Roma said that their former player Zaniolo “allegedly entered the Primavera team’s dressing room after the match and engaged in provocative behavior towards some of the Giallorossi youth players” and that “during the confrontation, two players from the Primavera squad were reportedly physically struck.”

“At the end of the match, I went down to the locker room to congratulate the Fiorentina players and then I went to the Roma locker room to say hello and congratulate them on their season, but at a certain point they started insulting me, so at that point, to avoid the situation escalating, I decided to leave,” he said in a statement.

Zaniolo, 25, made his Serie A debut with Roma and was voted the league’s Young Player of the Year for 2018-19. He spent almost five years with the Giallorossi between 2018 and 2023 before moving to Galatasaray.

He joined Fiorentina on loan from Galatasaray in February after previous loan spells at Aston Villa and Atalanta.

Fiorentina have an option to make his stay permanent this summer.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.