Edin Džeko given two game ban for abusing referee during Fiorentina thrashing

Džeko appeared to spit at the referee

Edin Džeko has been handed a two match ban in the Coppa Italia for abusing the referee during AS Roma's humiliating 7-1 defeat to Fiorentina last Wednesday. The former Manchester City front man was given a straight red card in the 72nd minute after arguing with referee Gianluca Manganiello. Džeko appeared to spit at the referee during the argument, but the official line on his suspension is that he has been banned for "having protested against a refereeing decision and, having approached the referee with a threatening attitude, used seriously offensive language towards him.” The ban will apply to Roma's first two cup matches next season, but not to the team's league games in Serie A. It was a night to forget for Roma, who capitulated against La Viola, who put seven past Eusebio Di Francesco's side. Federico Chiesa bagged a hat-trick in the 7-1 mauling, while Giovanni Simeone, son of Diego, scored twice, rubbing salt in Roma's wounds. It was a freak result that few saw coming, with Roma four points ahead of Fiorentina in the league table. But just as the magic of the cup is still alive and well on these shores, it seems like Stefano Piolo's Fiorentina side were the benefactors of such magic on Wednesday night.