- Facundo Ferreyra reacted angrily to a ball boy on Tuesday night
- He shoved him over an advertising hoarding for holding onto the ball
- The incident provoked a fiery exchange between both sets of players
- Ferreyra has now issued an apology for the incident
Shakhtar Donetsk forward Facundo Ferreyra has apologised for pushing a ballboy over the advertising hoardings during his side’s Champions League defeat to Roma on Tuesday night.
Ferreyra’s team were knocked out on away goals after losing 1-0 on Tuesday as the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate.
The incident provoked a fiery exchange between both sets of players towards the end of a game that was decided by Edin Dzeko’s second-half strike.
Facundo Ferreyra reacted angrily to a ball boy holding onto the ball for too long
As he finally returned the ball from the touchline Ferreyra shoved him over a barrier
The ball boy was sent head over heels as Ferreyra tried to get the game back underway
Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk players clash in the closing stages of their Champions League tie
Facundo Ferreyra caused an outcry after pushing a ball boy over the advertising hoardings
Facundo Ferreira statement about the incident in @officialasroma vs Shakhtar game: ‘I’m really sorry for what happened. That’s football, it was a very emotional moment in the match. There was no evil intent on my part… pic.twitter.com/6qzWrxk7Np— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) March 14, 2018
..I hope the boy, Matteo is all right now. I would like to once again convey the words of apology to the boy, his family and the club’. pic.twitter.com/oQAgbqQcjd— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) March 14, 2018
The 27-year-old issued a statement which read: ‘I’m really sorry for what happened. That’s football, it was a very emotional moment in the match. There was no evil intent on my part…
‘..I hope the boy, Matteo is all right now. I would like to once again convey the words of apology to the boy, his family and the club’.
Roma were heading through on away goals before Ferreyra took matters into his own hands with time ticking away and the hosts keen to eat up minutes.
With just 10 minutes remaining a ball boy on the side of the pitch held onto the ball a little too long for the 26-year-old’s liking.
Ferreyra proceeded to shove him off his feet and over the advertising hoarding as he grabbed the ball from his grasp.
But his actions failed to inspire a late rally from his team-mates, who exit the competition at the last-16 stage.
Ferreyra has proved a success in Ukraine but famously failed to play a single minute of football in an entire season on loan at Newcastle in 2014-15.
The ball boy lies down after being pushed over for holding onto the ball for too long
Diego Perotti remonstrates with the 26-year-old after his altercation on the sidelines