Udinese Vs. Lazio, 2012 Serie A: Suspensions and Fines Announced After Post-Match Fracas
Here’s a quick wrap-up of what happened:
In stoppage time, Lazio players heard a “phantom whistle” and stopped playing, allowing Roberto Pereyra to race uncontested down the wing and chip a shot in to the open goal. Lazio players went mad, screaming at the match officials and setting off a protracted ending to the match that featured lots of yelling, pushing and various histrionics.
The fallout from the post-match events came today as the league wasted no time in suspending Lazio's Federico Marchetti and Andre Dias for the rest of the season. In addition, Lazio were hit with €20,000 fine for the prolonged protest. Dias went completely mental, running around screaming at everyone and pushing a variety of people. He was shown a straight red by the match referee. Marchetti was not sent off, but he did shove the referee late in the fracas and that is typically frowned upon.
The league explained their decision with the following statement:
“The fine is for failing to prevent at the end of the game unauthorised entry on to the playing field by a director and a member of staff, who pushed a director of the opposite team, causing him to fall to the ground,”
Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale was also fined €2,000, but it had nothing to do with the fireworks at the end of the amtch. Instead, the striker was punished for simulation in the Lazio box, an act he was yellow carded for during the match.
