Wesley's Red Card Appeal Crashes and Burns: Serie A Hands Out Bans Galore After Chaotic Week 29

Imagine referees in Serie A turning into card-happy bouncers at a rowdy nightclub. Week 29 was pure pandemonium, kicking off with Torino smashing Parma 4-1 and wrapping up with Fiorentina thrashing relegation scrappers Cremonese 4-1. Three reds flew out, and the Lega Serie A judges have now dropped the hammer with suspensions that’ll leave a few squads scrambling.

Red Card Madness: Pisa's Durosinmi Cops the Heaviest Hit

The big one goes to Pisa's Rafiu Durosinmi, who's sidelined for two matches after kicking out at an opponent off the ball in their 3-1 stroll past Cagliari. Talk about losing your cool – that's the sort of daft move that has managers tearing their hair out. Cagliari's Adam Obert also saw red in that scrap and earns a one-game ban, leaving his side licking wounds from the defeat.

Then there's Roma's Wesley Franca, the Brazilian wing-back who got his marching orders in their gutsy 2-1 loss at Como. It was a second yellow for a challenge on Assane Diao, with teammate Devyne Rensch lurking nearby. Roma cried 'mistaken identity!' and appealed, but the sporting judge shut that down faster than a dodgy dive review. No VAR mix-up, they ruled – Wesley's boot was the culprit, plain as day.

As Peter Young and Sam Wilson reported for Football Italia, VAR backed the ref, Fabbri and Gariglio, who double-checked and confirmed it was Wesley's right leg doing the business. Roma boss Gasperini – wait, that's Atalanta's man, my bad on the mix-up there – anyway, the Giallorossi's plans are scuppered for the Lecce trip.

Coaches in the Dock and Yellow Card Reaches

It's not just players copping it. Inter interim gaffer Cristian Chivu picked up two yellows in their clash with Atalanta, earning a touchline ban for the Fiorentina jaunt. Lazio's Maurizio Sarri stormed out of his area and mouthed off at the officials during their Milan derby dust-up – one-match suspension for him, the fiery Italian.

The yellow card brigade hit five apiece too: Parma's Enrico Delprato, Pisa's Michel Aebischer, and Cremonese's Warren Bondo all sit out Week 30. That's the cumulative peril of niggly fouls adding up – proper pub league stuff elevated to Serie A.

Silver Lining for Roma Amid Europa Heartache

For Roma, there's a wry twist. Wesley's ban means he spectates against Lecce, but he's free for the massive Europa League quarter-final second leg versus Bologna (tied 1-1 after the first leg). Tsimikas might slot in on the flank – fingers crossed he doesn't channel his Liverpool days into a Scouse strop. Meanwhile, the 2-1 Como result stands, with the ref playing advantage on a Pellegrini nudge before whistling Wesley's foul.

Week 29's carnage, dissected on DAZN's Open VAR, shows why Serie A refs earn their corn. Three reds, coach bans, and yellow suspensions – it's like the league's saying, 'Play nice, lads, or sit this one out.' Roma fans, crack open a consolation Peroni; Wesley's back for the Euro scrap, at least. As Football Italia's duo nailed it, no overturning this one. Fancy a bet on Lecce nicking points? Nah, don't tempt fate.

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