Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman is facing the possibility of a retrospective ban after being accused of diving in the Giallorossi’s 3-1 defeat to Lazio on Sunday.
The Dutchman fell to the ground despite there being no contact by Lazio defender Wallace, to earn Roma a penalty on the stroke of half time. Daniele De Rossi duly scored the spot kick to put the Lupi back on level terms at 1-1, although they would eventually succumb to defeat.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has opened a case against Strootman after sending evidence to the sporting justice panel on Monday, and the former PSV man is expected to be handed a two-match ban, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
This would be in keeping with a precedent set for using video evidence to suspend those found guilty of diving, such as Inter’s Adriano in 2007 and Milos Krasic of Juventus in 2010. In both cases the players received two-match bans.
Ha fatto molto discutere il penalty assegnato in #RomaLazio ai giallorossi, il "tuffo" di #Strootman
sembra evidentepic.twitter.com/ginNFt5rsB— OddscheckerIT (@OddscheckerIT) May 1, 2017
Roma are expected to appeal should the ban be imposed, and enjoyed success in overturning a similar suspension for simulation by Strootman in the first Derby della Capitale meeting in November.
However, should Strootman be punished, he would miss crucial clashes against AC Milan and Juventus, as Roma look to secure a Champions League qualifying spot.
The Giallorossi will already be without the suspended Antonio Rudiger for next weekend’s visit of Milan, after the German defender was sent off in the dying minutes of Sunday’s defeat.
