Calcio Leeco urinating Getty Images

Ex-Juventus forward Cristian Bunino sent off in Serie C fixture for urinating on edge of the pitch

  • Forward was named on the bench
  • Due to be introduced as a second-half sub
  • Shown a red card before kicking a ball

WHAT HAPPENED? There were 73 minutes on the clock when Lecco boss Luciano Foschi decided that the time had come to introduce Bunino off the bench in a third tier Group A fixture. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old never got a kick. He chose to answer a call of nature by the side of the pitch before readying himself for a second-half introduction, with his antics being spotted by the assistant referee.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Bunino did his best to hide what he was up to, but the match officials were having none of it and promptly produced a red card. Those on the field were left bemused as to what was going on, with Bunino sent from the field as quickly as he had arrived.

WHAT THEY SAID: Coach Foschi is reported by Gazzetta dello Sport to have said: “It's the rules and they must be applied. But I was hoping that the officials would use common sense because he didn't offend anyone, no-one saw it. I was hoping for a yellow card, but the referee didn't make a mistake. And Bunino? In my opinion, he didn't even know what was going to happen.”

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WHAT NEXT? The game in question finished 0-0, with former Italy U19 international forward Bunino unable to offer his striking talents to the collective pursuit of goals, and he will now have to serve a suspension for the most unusual of offences.

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