Lecce Coach Roberto D’Aversa Appears To Head Butt Verona Striker Thomas Henry After Serie A Game – News18

LECCE, Italy: Lecce coach Roberto D’Aversa appeared to go butt Hellas Verona striker Thomas Henry following a heated matchup between two groups simply above the relegation zone in Serie A on Sunday.

Henry was arguing with Lecce defender Marin Pongracic after the ultimate whistle when D’Aversa went over to intervene and as an alternative ended up knocking Henry over with an obvious head butt immediately in entrance of one of many match officers.

“Next Saturday we have another big match (against Salernitana) and I didn’t want my players to be banned,” D’Aversa stated. “So I went out to try and separate them from the opponents and then the incident with Henry happened.

“I’ve already apologized to Verona’s management,” D’Aversa stated. “As a coach and father of three kids, I want to apologize for what happened.”

Both D’Aversa and Henry have been despatched off.

While replays appeared to point out that it was certainly a head butt, D’Aversa later stated on Instagram that it wasn’t.

“I was wrong and I apologize,” D’Aversa stated in his social media submit. “I got carried away and lost lucidness, but not to the point of hitting another person. … Once again I apologize to Henry, to the Lecce, Verona and Italian fans, to the referees, to the two clubs, to my management, my staff and my team.”

Michael Folorunsho scored early within the first half for Verona, which gained 1-0 to maneuver as much as thirteenth place, two factors above the drop zone. Lecce dropped one level behind in fifteenth.

Lecce stated in an announcement on its web site that it “firmly disapproves” what its coach did because it “goes against the principles and values of sports.”

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)