Who said that the game of soccer was full of softies and flop artists? OK, maybe you're sorta right on that one. But don't tell that to the now former head coach of Florentina, Delio Rossi. During the ACF Fiorentina’s match against Novara Calcio on Wednesday, Rossi decided to pull his midfielder, Adem Ljaljic, late in the first half.
When he approached the team dugout, Ljaljic could hear the hometown fans booing and calling him a "gypsy," which was meant to be a knock against his Serbian descent. Then, the 20-year-old midfielder started to sarcastically applaud his own coach for taking him out of the game. Upon witnessing that display of sheer disrespect, Rossi attacked his own player with a couple of hammer-fist punches. The Fiorentina officials eventually separated the two, but their brief scuffle didn't sit too kindly with owner Andrea Della Valle. For what the owner is referring to as “a serious action from a mild person,” Rossi has been let go as the head coach of Florentina. While some people are calling the contact made as more of a slap, does that excuse the coach for his brash actions? Not surprisingly, Ljaljic has gone unscathed for his actions. Player 1, Coach 0.
[via Off the Bench]
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