Ribery banned for three games for pushing official

ROME: Franck Ribery has apologised ater being suspended for three matches on Monday for pushing an assistant referee following Fiorentina’s dramatic late loss to Lazio the night before.

Video footage showed the 36-year-old, who had been substituted in the 74th minute, remonstrating with match officials ater the final whistle as Fiorentina protested about Lazio’s winning goal.

Rib eryw as handed the ban at er he approached assistant referee Mateo Passeri “threateningly” and utered “disrespectful words” before pushing him ater the final whistle on Sunday, said the Italian Football Federation’s disciplinary panel.

“I’m very sorry for last night, I apologise to my teammates, the coach and fans,” Ribery said on Twiter on Monday.

“I also apologise to Mr Passeri because at the end of the game I was very tense and angry and I hope he can understand the state I was in.”

The French striker was already furious when he was taken off by coach Vincenzo Montella ater 74 minutes. Television cameras showed him agitated on the bench, shouting repeatedly at Montella.

That anger had not subsided by the end of the match, which Fiorentina lost 2-1 ater Lazio scored a controversial goal in the 88th minute. He pushed one of the assistant referees twice on the way to the dressing room.

The Serie A website said the former Bayern player received a red card at the time. It also said he was fined 20,000 euros.

A Serie A disciplinary tribunal described Ribery’s conduct as “seriously disrespectful”, saying the midfielder approached the official with “threatening behaviour” and pushed him twice.

Ribery had made a strong start to his first season with Fiorentina, effective on the pitch and charming Italian fans and media.

Fiorentina asserted that the move which led to Lazio’s 89th-minute goal began with a foul by Jordan Lukaku on Riccardo Sotil and were baffled as to why the referee did not review the incident on the pitchside monitor — instead relying on a silent check by the VAR official.

“Why didn’t he go and have a look?” asked Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella.

“It’s very serious if the referee does not have a look in a key episode.

“We all stood around for four minutes waiting for the VAR to say if he should see it or not. If he’d only gone and looked at it, it would’ve been a minute or two longer, but at least we’d all be sure.”