No sanctions for Cagliari

By Football Italia staff

The Lega Serie A has announced no action will be taken against Cagliari for racist chanting, as the referee and observers didn’t hear it.

Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi revealed after the match that he’d been subjected to racist abuse during the 1-0 win on Saturday night.

The Isolani apologised for the chants, which were condemned by UNESCO and the French sports minister, but no action will be taken against the Sardinian club.

“With regard to Cagliari-Juventus, no determination can be made with regard to Cagliari for the despicable expressions of racial discrimination of which the Juventus player Blaise Matuidi reports he was the subject,” today’s disciplinary report affirms, before explaining why.

“Those expressions were not heard by either the match referee, nor by the employees Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, nor by the GOS as per the reports filed with his office.

“Therefore, with regard to article 11 paragraph 3 of the laws, no sanction can be brought.”

There will be no video review of Medhi Benatia’s challenge on Leonardo Pavoletti in the lead-up to Juve’s goal in that match, as the referee, Gianpaolo Calvarese saw it and played advantage, with Cagliari playing on.

Napoli were fined €15,000 after fans threw firecrackers at the visiting Verona fans, with Roma fined €10,000 for throwing objects onto the pitch.

The Giallorossi will have to pay a further €3,000 as Atalanta’s coaching staff had a laser pen shone into their eyes.

Atalanta have themselves been fined €5,000 after Gian Piero Gasperini relayed instructions to his coaching staff having been sent to the stands.

Lazio were fined €3,000 after fans insulted the referee and Genoa have been ordered to pay €3,500 for songs about Sassuolo Coach Beppe Iachini.

On the pitch there are six players suspended for Week 21, including Atalanta’s Marten de Roon and Jacopo Sala of Sampdoria who were sent off at the weekend.

Fiorentina defender Davide Astori has been given a one-match ban for his fifth booking of the season, as well as a fine of €1,500 for insulting the referee, with the fine levied because he’s the Viola captain.

His teammate Jordan Veretout has also crossed the disciplinary threshold, as have Daniel Bessa of Verona, Genoa’s Ervin Zukanovic and Stefan Radu of Lazio.

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