scandal in Serie A
Coach freaks out and hits opponent with his head
March 11, 2024, 5:29 a.m
In the heated duel between the relegation candidates, Lecce’s coach Roberto D’Aversa blows the fuses. After the game, he takes on Verona’s attacker Thomas Henry and knocks him to the ground. The coach apologizes, the club reacts clearly.
Coach Roberto D’Aversa from the relegation-threatened Italian football first list US Lecce has completely blown his fuses after Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat against Hellas Verona. The 48-year-old headbutted Hellas attacker Thomas Henry in the crowd on the pitch after the final whistle, and Henry fell to the ground.
“It wasn’t a nice move, I admit it. It’s inexcusable and I apologized to Verona,” D’Aversa later told Sky Italia. He wanted to save his players from being sent off in the heat of the moment – but he himself saw the red card from the referee, as did Henry. In a statement, Lecce strongly condemned his coach’s actions, which “go against our principles and the values of sport.”
D’Aversa later also apologized to the Verona striker, Henry replied: “Nothing justifies and will ever justify getting a headbutt when you’re on your way to the dressing room and happy to have won the three points . Getting a red card because I reacted verbally and only verbally to a headbutt makes it very bitter.” Verona moved past Lecce with the win, and both clubs are still just shy of the relegation zone.
Striker Henry also spoke out after the scandal. “I apologize for using words to respond to the many provocations on the pitch today. But that does not and will never justify getting a headbutt when you are already on your way to the dressing room and are talking about it We are pleased with the three well-deserved points.”