Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 22:32 / Updated on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 22:40
Troy Tomșa (18 years old), Romanian junior international and midfielder of the Primavera Sassuolo teamreceived a drastic sanction after the incident in the lost match with Napoli, score 2-5, for the violent gesture on the referee. According to the Italian media, the Romanian footballer has been suspended until December 31, 2026, which means that he will not be able to perform in any official competition this year.
What happened? During the game, Tomsa rushed at the referee Mattia Maresca, who grabbed the midfielder by the neck.
Troy Tomșa will no longer play in 2026
According to Italian publications, the Disciplinary Committee made a firm decision and suspended Troy Tomsa for aggressive behavior towards the center referee.
Sassuolo Primavera midfielder Troy Tomsa has been given a major ban by the disciplinary committee. The 2007-born player assaulted referee Mattia Maresca, brother of international Fabio Maresca, after he had just sent him off for protesting in the 63rd minute of the 29th leg of the league season against Napoli.
The Romanian player will be suspended from the field until December 31, 2026.
In addition to the ban until the end of 2026, Tomsa was also given a warning for “inappropriate behavior towards an opponent.”– notes Gazzetta dello Sport.
PHOTO. The gesture that earned him a huge suspension
The incident occurred in the 63rd minute of the game in the Primavera championship. After a foul in midfield, central referee Mattia Maresca showed the red card to Tomșa for protesting.
While heading to the locker room, the Romanian returned nervously to the referee, approached him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt with both hands, pushing him. An opponent tried to stop him, but the midfielder did not immediately calm down.
On the way to the locker room, Tomșa also pushed a member of his own team's staff. After the incident, Sassuolo sent an official message in which it strongly condemns the behavior of the Romanian player, stating that such gestures are not tolerated within the club.
Who is Troy Tomsa?
Troy Tomsa was born in England, but started football in Romania, at Sănătatea Cluj. He later performed at junior level in Germany, for the academies of Hoffenheim and Astoria Walldorf.
Since 2020 he is part of Sassuolo's academy. At the international level, the midfielder has collected 25 selections for the Romanian youth teams, in the U17 and U19 categories.
