Lecce Coach Sacked for Assaulting Footballer
Lecce sacked Italian Roberto D'Aversa from his position as head coach on Monday after he assaulted French player Thomas Henry from Hellas Verona following his team's defeat.
"After the events that occurred at the end of the Lecce - Verona match, Lecce announces that it has relieved coach Roberto D'Aversa of his duties. Thanks to the coach and his staff for the work done," the club announced.
The incident referred to by Lecce dates back to the end of the Lecce-Verona match, which ended with a defeat for the home team (0-1), when the coach, immediately after the intense match, approached Henry and headbutted him, resulting in a direct red card.
The player, who left for the locker room with a mark on his cheek from the blow, was also sent off for the scuffle that ensued after the match. Immediately after the assault, Lecce completely distanced itself from the now former coach with an official statement.
"In reference to the episode between coach D'Aversa and Verona player Henry, considering the general nervousness situation at the end of the match, Lecce strongly condemns the gesture of its coach as being contrary to the principles and values of sports," read the club's statement.
Meanwhile, D'Aversa apologized on social media, although he claimed it wasn't a headbutt.
"I would like to apologize to everyone and at the same time briefly reconstruct the sad and unpleasant episode in which I played a negative role at the end of the Lecce-Verona match. I made head-to-head contact with Henry, but I did not hit the Verona player with my head, nor did I receive any from him," he posted on Instagram.
"It was physical contact, a very bad example, an unsportsmanlike image born of great tension and adrenaline, but it should not and will not be my excuse or mitigating factor. I was wrong, and I apologize," he added.
And he concluded: "I got carried away by the heat of the moment and lost my clarity, but not to the point of hitting another person. This is not like me, I reject it, and I do not accept it. Once again, I apologize to Henry, the Lecce audience, Verona and Italy, to the referees, to both clubs, to my management, to my staff, and to my team."
"I assure you that the clash with Henry was not premeditated. I have already apologized to the Verona leaders: as a coach and father of three children, I apologize for the gesture, which certainly was not pleasant to see," he commented.
D'Aversa was set to be punished this Wednesday by Serie A with several match bans, so in view of the important match this round against Salernitana, the bottom club, crucial in the relegation battle, the club brought forward the dismissal of a coach who had won only 2 games since October.
Among the candidates to replace him, according to local media reports, are Italians Lorenzo Semplici and Luca Gotti.
