ROME (AFP) - Sampdoria's troubled Italy international forward Antonio Cassano was banned for five matches on Tuesday for insulting and throwing his shirt at a referee.

Cassano was also fined 15,000 euros for his actions following his sending off in the home 2-2 draw against Torino on Sunday.

Dismissed in the 88th minute, Cassano reportedly shouted: "look at me, I'm talking to you. I'll wait for you here," at referee Nicola Pierpaoli before also throwing his shirt at the official.

Cassano has since apologised for his actions and Sampdoria revealed they will not appeal against the punishments.

But the consequences could be more far-reaching for the 25-year-old who is on loan from Real Madrid.

He had been in fine form and many were clamouring for him to be called up to the Italy squad for the first time in more than a year.

But his latest outburst will have done little to encourage Italy coach Roberto Donadoni - who has already gone on record many times stating that it is Cassano's attitude and character rather than his ability preventing a call-up - from changing his mind about Italy's enfant terrible.

Cassano's tantrums became so frequent during his last two seasons with AS Roma, before moving to Real, that the Italian press invented a word playing on his name to refer to his tantrums: cassanata.

In his Roma days Cassano became part of the international set-up but has found himself out in the cold for the last 12 months after moving to Real Madrid two years ago.

He struggled to get games for Madrid, playing only 19 times, and scoring twice, over an 18-month period before being loaned to Sampdoria at the beginning of this season having been castigated at the Spanish club for being overweight.

Although he has twice played for Italy since Donadoni took over the national team following the 2006 World Cup, he has not been included in a squad since the end of that same year.