In a regrettable incident during the UEFA Europa Conference League final, Fiorentina player Cristiano Biraghi was struck on the head by a cup thrown from the crowd. The incident occurred during the first half of the match against West Ham United in Prague.
Unfortunate Incident
The incident took place a little after 30 minutes into the first half when Fiorentina was awarded a corner. A plastic cup landed beside Nicolas Gonzalez, who jokingly pretended to sip from it before another cup thrown hit Biraghi on the head. Blood began to pour out of the Italian left-back’s head, prompting several West Ham players to appeal to their supporters to stop throwing objects. The stadium announcer also urged fans to stop throwing objects.
Former West Ham player Joe Cole commented on the incident, stating, “It’s moronic behaviour, it really is. We’ve been praising the West Ham fans, and rightly so. It only takes a handful of idiots to do that. It needs to be sorted out and taken out of the game.”
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The Match Continues
Despite the unfortunate incident, the match continued. West Ham captain Declan Rice went closest for David Moyes’ side as his long-range effort was fired marginally wide in the 13th minute. Fiorentina thought they had scored on the stroke of half-time when Luka Jovic finished from close range. However, the linesman flagged for offside, and VAR agreed following a lengthy check.
This incident underscores the importance of maintaining decorum and respect during matches. It’s crucial for fans to remember that while passion for the game is appreciated, it should never lead to actions that can harm players or disrupt the game.
