Watch: Ballboy throws ball at time-wasting player during Ajax vs Roma
Football
By
Reuters
| Apr 09, 2021
Roma defender Riccardo Calafiori says he understands the irritation of a ballboy who hurled the ball at him in the closing stages of Thursday’s Europa League tie at Ajax Amsterdam, causing a social media stir.
The ball struck Calafiori in the neck as he ambled over to take a throw-in at the Johan Cruyff Arena near the end of the quarter-final first leg which Roma won 2-1 after being down at halftime.
"I was thinking about a lot of things at that moment," said the 18-year-old substitute, who briefly confronted the ballboy and received a caution from the referee.
"Fortunately, I managed to stay calm. I have to admit that it would also have irritated me if I saw an opponent time wasting in such a situation. I don’t say I respect it, but I get it,” he told Italy’s Sky TV.
Calafiori had to come on as first half substitute when left back Leonardo Spinazzola was injured.
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"It was not easy to fill in in this situation, but my teammates helped and things went better in the second half," he said.