Inter Milan midfielder Radja Nainggolan was suspended by his club for disciplinary reasons on Sunday.
The development capped an unhappy year which also saw the Belgian call time on his international career after missing the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Inter Milan’s decision means Nainggolan, who was also dropped by AS Roma at the start of this year, will miss Wednesday’s match when third-placed Inter host second-placed Napoli in Serie A.
“FC Internazionale Milano can confirm that Radja Nainggolan has been temporarily suspended from football activity for disciplinary reasons,” said the club in a statement, without giving further details.
Italian media said Nainggolan had arrived late for a training session.
The combative 30-year-old was signed from AS Roma in the summer for 38 million euros ($43.19 million) plus Nicolo Zaniolo, but he has not made the expected impact.
The midfielder missed Inter Milan’s first two league matches of the season through injury, but he scored on his debut in a 3-0 win over Bologna.
He suffered another injury in the 1-0 derby win over AC Milan and, although he quickly recovered, it flared up again.
That was during the UEFA Champions League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur when he was substituted before half-time.
Nainggolan was dropped and fined by AS Roma in January after posting an Instagram video of himself drinking and smoking at a New Year’s Party.
After returning to the side, he helped AS Roma to reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
But there was more disappointment when he was left out of Belgium’s FIFA World Cup squad to Russia 2018 by coach Roberto Martinez.
That prompted Nainggolan to end his international career and blame Martinez’s decision on a personality clash.
Nainggolan was also upset at the way he was treated by AS Roma, saying in an interview this month that he was “bitter” that the club had wanted to sell him.(Reuters/NAN)
