Warning: Video is graphic
MILAN — Roma was held 0-0 Sunday at Chievo Verona as the capital side’s title hopes took another blow in a Serie A match which was marred by a gruesome injury to youngster Federico Mattiello.
The 19-year-old Mattiello, who is on loan at Chievo from Juventus, was stretchered off in tears after breaking his leg in a clash with Radja Nainggolan.
It was Roma’s eighth draw in nine league matches and left it eight points behind Juventus, which hosts Sassuolo on Monday.
Mattiello was injured in the 16th minute at Verona. Video images from the game showed the bottom half of the midfielder’s right leg bending and initial reports said he has broken both his tibia and fibula.
Mattiello was carried off to a standing ovation from the fans and the benches off both teams. It was only his third appearance for Chievo after joining from Juventus in January, but he has impressed and was regarded as one of Italy’s promising talents.
Players from both teams were visibly shaken by the injury and the match took a while to get going again after the restart.
Roma should have taken the lead at the end of the first half following a great counterattack from Juan Iturbe, who found Gervinho. The Ivory Coast midfielder raced down the right but his effort scraped the outside of the far post.
Chievo also had chances with Valter Birsa firing wide from a good position and Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis twice denying Riccardo Meggiorini.
It was a valuable point for Chievo, which moved six points away from the relegation zone.
Atalanta was four points off the bottom three after drawing at Parma.
Parma has been sold twice this season and wages have gone unpaid for months. Its previous two matches — at home with Udinese and at Genoa — were postponed indefinitely because the club couldn’t pay for basic services such as security and electricity.
However, the league voted to give Parma a 5-million euro ($5.5 million) emergency fund Friday to help the club finish the season.