Drunk New Year’s postings result in Nainggolan being dropped for Atalanta match
A series of drunken, live Instagram postings on New Year's Eve has resulted in midfielder Radja Nainggolan being fined and dropped from Roma's squad for Saturday's match against Atalanta.
Coach Eusebio Di Francesco says that "In line with the club's code of conduct, which I fully endorse and the player himself accepts, Radja Nainggolan will not be selected for tomorrow's game against Atalanta."
Di Francesco adds, "This is a policy that applies across the board, should anyone from AS Roma or representing Roma make certain mistakes that are no longer acceptable . ... Nainggolan knows what he did. After all, he made the video by himself and he has assumed responsibility."
Nainggolan later issued an apology for the videos, in which he is seen drinking, smoking and playing paddle tennis. At one point in the videos, Nainggolan says he's "completely drunk."
Details of the fine were not disclosed.
Nainggolan has been a key player for Roma for five seasons, known for both his offensive and defensive skills and his stamina. His absence against Atalanta is problematic because captain Daniele De Rossi is unavailable in midfield due to a minor muscular injury.
Fourth-place Roma needs a win over Atalanta to get back into the title race.
Simeone holds Inter in stoppage time
Fiorentina wasted far too many scoring opportunities and eventually snatched a late point to hold Inter with Giovanni Simeone’s equaliser.
The Nerazzurri were desperate to stop the slide after one point from the last three Serie A rounds and a Coppa Italia exit to Milan. Joao Miranda and Danilo D’Ambrosio were still injured, but Andrea Ranocchia shook off a knock to start. The Viola and their exInter Coach Stefano Pioli missed Bruno Gaspar, but Federico Chiesa was fit to play after his rest.
It was a very special game for Borja Valero, returning to the Stadio Franchi for the first time since his summer move.
‘The Mayor of Florence’ was given a warm reception, befitting a man with a tattoo of the Ponte Vecchio co-ordinates on his arm.
Inter’s last Serie A win in Florence was in February 2014, followed by three consecutive defeats here, including last season’s ridiculous 5-4 thriller. Their last five meetings, home and away, provided a total 26 goals.
Giovanni Simeone almost opened the scoring within two minutes, nudging wide from close range as Davide Astori knocked on a free kick.
Cyril Thereau should’ve done much better when Federico Chiesa rolled across and Andrea Ranocchia slipped, leaving him unmarked, but the Frenchman ballooned over the bar.
Marco Sportiello took the sting out of a Roberto Gagliardini snapshot and turned Ivan Perisic’s cross-shot round the base of the near post.
Their pressing game was very effective, as Inter repeatedly lost the ball in midfield, but Simeone just as often blasted over from promising positions. Joao Mario was particularly disappointing, as he was dispossessed and tracked back very slowly, earning jeers from the crowd.
After the restart, Andrea Ranocchia desperate defending prevented Simeone nodding in a Chiesa cross, but Inter took the lead against the run of play.
Joao Cancelo’s free kick was whipped towards the near post and Sportiello performed a stunning save on Icardi’s header, but could do nothing on the rebound.
Fiorentina could’ve equalised within 90 seconds, but Samir Handanovic flew to fingertip a Cristiano Biraghi free kick out from under the bar.
Handanovic saved another attempt almost by accident, as Milan Skriniar deflected Chiesa’s crossshot and it bounced off the goalkeeper’s leg.
Chiesa’s strike was charged down by substitute Dalbert and Milan Badelj’s glancing header whistled past the far post on Biraghi’s cross.
Ranocchia, playing with the aid of pain-killing injections, needed Serie A
Yesterday Chievo-Udinese .................................. 1-1 Fiorentina-Inter Milan ....................... 1-1 Today Torino-Bologna Benevento-Sampdoria Genoa-Sassuolo AC Milan-Crotone Napoli-Hellas Verona SPAL-Lazio Roma-Atalanta Cagliari-Juventus
treatment several times for his rib injury and eventually had to come off, moving Davide Santon to centre-back.
Chiesa stopped a long cross with a truly magnificent first touch to then cut inside and drill wide with his left foot. Yet Inter could’ve doubled their lead when Borja Valero nodded a Perisic cross over from six yards.
Handanovic performed another incredible save to deny one of the goals of the season, fingertipping the Khouma Babacar overhead kick out from under the bar.
Fiorentina poured forward, but were almost caught out on the counter by substitute Antonio Candreva hitting the side-netting.
The pressure finally paid off in stoppages, as Valentin Eysseric laid it off for Simeone to react quickly and blast in from close range for the deserved equaliser.
The Viola weren’t satisfied and continued to push for the victory, but were wide open on the counter and Sportiello fingertipped a Candreva long-ranger over.