Serie A manager sacked after HEADBUTTING opposition player as he is dismissed in 37-word statement
LECCE have sacked Roberto D’Aversa after he headbutted Hellas Verona star Thomas Henry in the immediate aftermath of yesterday’s game.
The Serie A side slumped to a 1-0 home defeat, leaving D’Aversa incensed.
At the end of the game he clashed with striker Henry, with both men receiving red cards for their roles in the astonishing exchange.
In a 37-word statement released this morning, Lecce confirmed: “After the events that occurred at the end of the Lecce – Verona match, US Lecce announces that it has relieved coach D’Aversa of his duties.
“Thanks go to the coach and his staff for the work done.”
Verona leapfrogged Lecce in the table by winning 1-0, courtesy of Michael Folorunsho’s 17th minute winner.
At the end of the game, D’Aversa made a bee-line for Henry.
The Frenchman, 29, had only come on as an 86th minute substitute.
During his cameo he received a yellow card in stoppage time for going head to head with Marin Pongracic.
A war of words then continued between the duo before the final whistle.
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In the post-match exchange D’Aversa appeared to thrust his head into Henry, with the forward tumbling to the turf.
A furious looking Henry was then held back by his team-mates as he yelled at onlookers.
After the game, D’Aversa apologised on social media.
He wrote: “I would like to apologise to everyone and at the same time briefly reconstruct the sad and unpleasant episode that saw me as a negative protagonist at the end of the Lecce-Verona match.
“I came into head-to-head contact with Henry, but I did not hit the Veronese player with a headbutt, nor did I receive one from him.
“It was a physical contact, a terrible example, an anti-sporting image resulting from great tension and adrenaline, which however must not and do not want to be my excuses or mitigating factors.
“I made a mistake and I apologise. I got carried away by the heat and lost clarity, but not to the point of hitting another person. This does not belong to me, I reject it and do not accept it.
“Once again I apologise to Henry, to the Lecce, Verona and Italian public, to the referees, to the two clubs, to my management, my staff and my team.”
D’Aversa joined Lecce last summer, having previously managed Virtus Lanciano, Parma and Sampdoria.
He won just six of his 30 games in charge, drawing 10 and losing 14.
Yesterday’s defeat leaves Lecce just a point above the relegation zone.
Next up they travel to bottom of the table Salernitana, before hosting Roma.