Serie A boss apologises for "inexcusable" attack of rival striker after match
Lecce manager Roberto D'Aversa has apologised for his "inexcusable" headbutt on Hellas Verona striker Thomas Henry.
D'Aversa's side hosted Verona in a huge clash towards the bottom of the Serie A table on Sunday. Tempers flared between players and staff of both sides at the final whistle, with Verona having claimed a narrow 1-0 away win thanks to Michael Folorunsho's goal in the 17th minute.
Henry was sent off in the closing stages of the game and D'Aversa remarkably stormed onto the pitch and ended up headbutting him. The Belgian star fell to the ground before getting up and chasing the Lecce boss.
Both men were shown red cards by the referee and D'Aversa then apologised in his post-match interview. He insisted his intent had been to prevent his players from becoming entangled in clashes with the Verona team.
"There was an excited final, already in the last minutes of the match where there were some provocations. My initial intent was not to cause damage to my players, I didn't want my boys to get disqualifications," D'Aversa told Sky Italia.
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"Then Henry and I came into contact, the gesture wasn't nice to see, my intention was to divide everyone, but he continued to provoke. We spoke to the managers and that was it. I certainly didn't enter the field to headbutt a player and it was nothing premeditated.
"Otherwise I would have said so. Looking back at the images they say one thing, I say that they are the consequence of a series of provocations at the end of the match. I've already spoken to the Verona managers. I apologize for the gesture, it's not nice to see."
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D'Aversa and Henry had to be seperated after the incident (Donato Fasano/Getty Images)Lecce condemned D'Aversa's actions in a statement, insisting they were "contrary to the principles and values of sport". D'Aversa spoke to Henry in a phone call after the game, with the Lecce manager apologising to the Verona star.
Relations between the duo were described as being 'cordial' by Sky Sports Italia. Henry also took to social media to apologise himself, admitting he had let his team down by being sent off. "I'll start by saying that I want to apologize to my teammates and to the fans. I apologize for having reacted, with words, to the many provocations experienced on the pitch today, an understandable fact in a match with such a stake," he wrote on Instagram.
"But this does not and will never justify a headbutt when you've already made your way to the locker room, happy with the three points earned. I have known Gendrey for 15 years, I was his coach when he was 15. I would never dare to provoke someone who today I consider a brother! And having received the red light as a reaction, always and only verbal, to a header, leaves me even more saddened by not being able to help my teammates from next Sunday."
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