Cremonese player given massive 4-match ban for insulting referee

Cremonese player Alberto Grassi has been given a four-match ban for insulting and pushing the referee during the ill-tempered 4-1 defeat to Como.CREMONA, ITALY – MAY 24: Jesus Rodriguez of Como 1907 celebrates after scoring the 0-1 goal during the Serie A match between US Cremonese and Como 1907 at Stadio Giovanni Zini on May 24, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)The hosts reacted furiously to a soft penalty that was awarded to Como in a game that they needed to win or face relegation from Serie A.This resulted in a flurry of red cards to Grassi on the pitch, plus Milan Djuric and David Okereke, who were warming up when they accosted the assistant referee.Cremonese hit by Serie A bansPARMA, ITALY – MARCH 21: Alberto Grassi of US Cremonese during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio 1913 and US Cremonese at Stadio Ennio Tardini on March 21, 2026 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)The Lega Serie A today announced that Grassi was handed a massive four-match ban.This is because he uttered a blasphemous phrase, which is the worst kind of swearing in the Italian language, approached referee Fabio Maresca in a threatening manner, and lightly pushed the official.His Cremonese teammate Djuric received a two-match ban for insulting the officials, while Okereke has only a one-game suspension.NAPLES, ITALY – MAY 24: Rasmus Hojlund of SSC Napoli battles for possession with Christian Kabasele of Udinese Calcio during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and Udinese Calcio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on May 24, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)There is also a two-match ban for Udinese defender Christian Kabasele, who was sent off during the defeat to Napoli for kicking out at Rasmus Hojlund in an off the ball situation.The final one-match bans handed out by the Lega Serie A for this season, which carry on to the next, are for Nicolas Valentini (Verona), Sascha Britschgi (Parma), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Inter), Ylber Ramadani (Lecce) and Jamie Vardy (Cremonese).