Roma would’ve lost tonight’s Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie with Spezia by default, as they made six substitutions when only five were allowed.
The extraordinary incident happened in extra time, when the result was still 2-2.
Spezia went on to win 4-2 in extra time and booked their place in the quarter-final against Napoli.
However, Roma would’ve lost by default anyway because incredibly they made six substitutions.
Roma would’ve lost tonight’s Coppa Italia Round of 16 tie with Spezia by default, as they made six substitutions when only five were allowed.
The extraordinary incident happened in extra time, when the result was still 2-2.
Spezia went on to win 4-2 in extra time and booked their place in the quarter-final against Napoli.
However, Roma would’ve lost by default anyway because incredibly they made six substitutions.
Although FIFA do allow an extra substitution in extra time for competitions where it is planned, this was not the case for the Coppa Italia.
It seems they misunderstood the regulations in the Coppa Italia, which state teams have an extra 'slot' to make substitutions in extra time, but not a sixth substitution.
It is not the role of the referee or fourth official to inform a team when they are making too many substitutions.
The substitutions were made after Roma received two red cards in 30 seconds for unrelated incidents, as Gianluca Mancini received a second yellow card and Pau Lopez wiped out Roberto Piccoli outside the box.
It’s the second astonishing error at Roma this season, as they were already handed an automatic 3-0 Serie A defeat to Verona after leaving Amadou Diawara on the Under-23 list several months after his 23rd birthday.
Roma 2-4 Spezia (aet)
Galabinov pen 6 (S), Saponara 15, 119 (S), Pellegrini pen 42 (R), Mkhitaryan 73 (R), Verde 107 (S)
Roma: Pau Lopez; Mancini, Cristante (Fuzato 95), Kumbulla; Peres, Pellegrini, Villar (Veretout 69), Spinazzola (Karsdorp 69); Pedro (Ibanez 95), Mkhitaryan (Carles Perez 85); Borja Mayoral (Dzeko 91)
Spezia: Krapikas; Vignali, Erlic, Ismajli, Ramos (Dell’Orco 68); Deiola (Acampora 80), Leo Sena (Ricci 68), Maggiore; Agudelo (Verde 59), Galabinov (Piccoli 68), Saponara
Ref: Ghersini
Sent off: Mancini 93 (R), Pau Lopez 94 (R)