Roma owner James Pallotta banned for comments after Liverpool Champions League defeat

Roma owner James Pallotta has been given a three-month suspension by UEFA for comments after their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool.

Pallotta criticised the standard of refereeing in the second leg in Rome on May 2. Roma won 4-2 but lost 7-6 on aggregate as Liverpool progressed to the final in Kiev.

He called the officiating "embarrassing" and said it cost his club a place in the final.

Pallotta also claimed a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) would have helped overturn calls he perceived went in Liverpool's favour.

The suspension, handed out by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB), means that he cannot enter the technical area or communicate directly or indirectly with the team's players and or/technical staff during a UEFA competition match for three months.

Pallotta has also been banned from entering the team's dressing room or the tunnel before or during a match.

Roma finished third in Serie A last season so they will enter the Champions League at the group stage and his suspension will start in their first game in the 2018/19 competition - either September 18 or 19.

It's not the first time the American billionaire has been in the headlines this year.

After Roma staged a dramatic comeback to beat Barcelona on away goals in the Champions League quarter-finals, he jumped into the Pizza del Popolo fountain and had to apologise to the Mayor of Rome.

Roma were also fined €19,000 (about £17,000) by UEFA for charges relating to the game against Liverpool at the Stadio Olimpico.

The charges were for the setting off of fireworks, insufficient organisation and stairways blocked.




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