The Italian Football League, which also oversees the cup competition, announced that Roma
had lost 3-0 in Tuesday’s semi-final match against Spezia, after he made six substitutions in
the match instead of the five allowed.
The capital’s team was eliminated on the pitch by losing 2-4 after the extension to the Olympic Stadium,
ending the match with nine players.
With the score at 2-2 in overtime, Paulo Fonseca made two substitutions after benefiting from four earlier
in the match.
He substituted minutes after two players in his team were sent off within half a minute, Gianluca Mancini
(90 + 1) and Spanish goalkeeper Pau Lopes (90 + 2).
The League said in a statement that it inflicted a loss by 3-0 because the goal difference is greater than that
of the result on the pitch.
This is the second lapse of the capital team after losing the Verona match 0-3, due to leaving Guinean player
Amadou Diawara in the Under-23 squad for several months after his twenty-third birthday.
Roma will meet Sebtsia again in the league at the end of the week, where Fonseca will try to compensate,
especially after losing also to his neighbor and rivals in the capital Lazio 3-0 last week, which threatened
his position.
The Portuguese confirmed on Friday that he has the support of the team and the club, but some local
reports indicated a quarrel that took place in the dressing room after the loss to Spezia and there was
tension between the coach and Bosnian captain Eden Dzeko.
Roma is fourth in Serie A, level on points with Napoli III and nine behind leaders Milan.
