Scotland star Lewis Ferguson has been slapped with an instant 2,000 Euros fine for diving in a Serie A match earlier this week.
The Bologna midfielder has enjoyed an outstanding start to his career in Italy and insisted this week he was only concentrating on his own club despite being linked with a move to Italian giants Juventus. But he was hit with some instant justice Italian style after Bologna's 1-0 defeat at Roma. Ferguson was booked in the second half after a challenge in the box from Roma's Nicola Zalewski and Bologna and Ferguson wanted a penalty for it, but instead the former Aberdeen midfielder was shown a yellow card for simulation by ref Alberto Santoro.
Bologna boss Thiago Motta was immediately booked following the incident for complaining, but that wasn't the end of it for the Scotland international. Serie A uses 'sports judges' to make instant decisions after the round of fixtures and usually make their announcement a day after the fixtures have been completed.
And Ferguson was charged and fined after the incident.A Serie A statement confirmed: "Lewis Ferguson (Bologna) was fined 2,000 Euros for feigning foul play in the opponent's penalty area."
It's not the first time Ferguson has been accused of diving after Hearts manager Robbie Neilson slammed him for "blatant cheating" when he won a penalty at Tynecastle last season. Aberdeen missed the pen and the Jambos ran out 2-0 winners. Following the game, Neilson said: "It (the save) is just justice. Aberdeen created nothing in the game apart from somebody diving like that to try and get the penalty.
"Thankfully it didn't cost us because if they get that goal from the penalty it totally changes the dynamic of the game and they could go and get something out of the game after blatant cheating. I don't blame the referee, I blame the player for doing it."
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