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Strootman banned for sparking Rome derby brawl

Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman has been handed a two-match ban for sparking the brawl that saw Lazio's Danilo Cataldi sent off on Sunday.

Unused substitute Cataldi received a red card in the 66th minute of the Rome derby, having grabbed Strootman's collar, prompting the Dutchman to drop to the ground in an exaggerated manner and leading to a confrontation between players and staff on the touchline at Stadio Olimpico.

Footage later showed Strootman had antagonised his opponent by tossing the contents of a water bottle in Cataldi's face after scoring the opener in a 2-0 win. Italian authorities have now taken retrospective action against the 26-year-old.

Lazio's Senad Lulic, meanwhile, remains under investigation by the Italian Football Federation after making comments about Roma defender Antonio Rudiger that were construed as racist by many commentators.