Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has laughed at the 20-day suspension handed to Lazio's Senad Lulic for his remarks aimed at Antonio Rudiger following the Eternal City derby earlier this month.
Lulic has played in Lazio's three games since making those comments while the disciplinary committee of the Lega Serie A discussed his punishment.
The committee announced on Thursday that he would be banned for the next 20 days -- and fined €10,000 -- but with the league now on its winter break for the next fortnight, Lulic will only actually miss one fixture, against Crotone on Jan. 8.
"No, it's not true -- I've been told he's going to miss three fixtures," Spalletti joked at a news conference following his side's 3-1 win over Chievo on Thursday. "He's going to miss Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and Crotone."
Lulic was widely expected to be banned for 10 games, which was the length of the suspension given to Atalanta youngster Alberto Grassi when he made a racial insult during his side's youth cup game against Chievo.