Rome, May 28 (LaPresse) – “This time, I won’t stand for it. When I’ve done something foolish, like with the referee last time at the Olimpico, I’ve always taken responsibility, accepted the punishment, the suspension — but in this case, I can’t be portrayed as someone who starts fights and lays hands on a kid.”
In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, Nicolò Zaniolo denies the accusations in Roma’s latest account, which claims that after the scudetto semi-final between Roma and Fiorentina at Viola Park, the former Roma player entered the Giallorossi’s locker room “visibly agitated” and allegedly got physical with two youth players, Mattia Almaviva and Marco Litti.
Zaniolo denies having hit anyone: “I know I reacted badly, and I take responsibility for that,” he said. “I want to be very clear: I needed to use the bathroom, and the first one I found was in Roma’s locker room. I asked for permission to enter, and they let me in with a smile. ‘Come on, do you even need to ask?’ they said. As I passed by the boys, I gave them a high five and said ‘Well done.’ When I came out of the bathroom, one of them provoked me loudly. I asked if he was talking to me, and he came closer. I lost my temper but didn’t hit him.
It’s a mistake I regret, especially because I know I have to set an example for the younger ones. But I want to make it very clear that what happened is far from the version that has been reported. Apart from a verbal argument, there was no aggressive behavior on my part.”
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