Bologna, September 8, 2026 – The third day of the championship saw Bologna under Domenico Tedesco earn the first point of this season following a last-minute home draw against Sassuolo. Finally moving the standings, the rossoblù will play in Naples in the next round but will have to do without their coach, suspended for two matches following an incident that occurred practically at the end of the game.
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The Sports Judge has in fact announced the measures for the last round, imposing on Tedesco a two-match suspension for “having, at the 49th minute of the second half, after the expulsion decision, directed a seriously disrespectful expression at the match referee, reiterating this behavior at the end of the game, in the locker rooms; first infraction noted by the Fourth Official,” reads the note released by Lega Serie A. The reaction, later clarified also during the post-match press conference, came following a missed whistle by referee Di Bello for an alleged repeated foul on the young Libra. Bologna’s coach will also have to pay a fine of 5,000 euros.
Suspension also for patron Saputo
Besides the rossoblù coach, president Joey Saputo was also punished, having come onto the pitch at the end of the game and guilty of “having, at the end of the game, on the playing field, directed a seriously offensive expression at the match officials, reiterating this behavior in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms.”
For the club’s patron, a ban has been imposed until September 30, 2026. In simple terms, Saputo will not be allowed access to the locker rooms and adjoining areas, such as the playing field, on match days, both official and friendly, and will not be able to represent the club in federation activities, both nationally and internationally. Essentially, it is a suspension, a term however used only for coaches and players and not for executives who are instead “banned”.
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The club will appeal
That sanctions would come was already in the air and Bologna expected measures both for the coach and for president Saputo, who was also caught by fans in the stands at the end of the game in some videos that went viral in which the rossoblù number one was probably ironically applauding referee Di Bello and his assistants.
Having taken note of the Sports Judge’s decision, the club will almost certainly appeal to try to reduce the sanctions, with Tedesco, if everything remains as decided by Lega Serie A, facing missing the home game against Torino on September 19.
