<p>Lecce sacked manager Roberto D’Aversa on Monday following the manager allegedly throwing a headbutt toward Verona forward Thomas Henry. Verona picked up a 1-0 win at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/lecce-tv-schedule-for-us-viewers/">Lecce</a> courtesy of a goal from Michael Folorunsho in the first half. However, the drama transpired after the game. D’Aversa approached Henry, who picked up a red card deep into second-half stoppage time. Cameras on the field captured D’Aversa headbutting Henry in the face, and Henry crumpled to the floor. </p>



<p>In his postgame media time, D’Aversa apologized for his actions. Yet, he says the contact between him and Henry was not forceful and intentional. Instead, it was just contact between two people.</p>



<p>“I would like to apologize to everyone and at the same time reconstruct the sad and unpleasant episode that saw me as a negative protagonist at the end of Lecce-Verona,” D’Aversa said. “I came into contact head-to-head 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 bad example, an unsportsmanlike image resulting from great tension and adrenaline which, however, must not and do not want to be my excuses or mitigating factors.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">COACH HEADBUTTS OPPOSITION PLAYER<br><br>Lecce has sacked Roberto D&apos;Aversa after he headbutted a Verona player in Serie A.<a href="https://t.co/czEQmxR0dO">pic.twitter.com/czEQmxR0dO</a></p>— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1767174482991460575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Immediately after the game, Lecce condemned the actions of its manager. Lecce said it was a tense situation after the narrow game. However, the actions of the manager have no place in the sport. Then, on Monday, Lecce released another statement that terminated the status of D’Aversa as the manager of the club. Lecce directly identified the actions that happened in the postgame as the reason for relieving D’Aversa of his duties.</p>



<p>“After the events that occurred at the end of the Lecce – Verona match, U.S. Lecce announces that it has relieved coach D’Aversa of his duties,” <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialUSLecce/status/1767112569284702624" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lecce said</a>. </p>



<h2>Lecce manager headbutt adds issues to relegation scrap</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240311_WST_494602_Lecce-manager-Verona-headbutt-1200x670_1ca62843.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-494608" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Lecce-manager-Verona-headbutt-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Lecce-manager-Verona-headbutt-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Lecce-manager-Verona-headbutt-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/03/Lecce-manager-Verona-headbutt.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>The club did not identify the manager who is replacing D’Aversa for the remainder of the season. The boss who comes in faces the task of keeping Lecce in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/serie-a-tv-schedule/">Serie A</a> for the third straight season. The loss to Verona allowed Hellas to jump Lecce in the league table. As things stand, Lecce is just one point above the relegation zone. In all likelihood, Lecce was plotting to change its manager before this postgame incident. Lecce has one win in its last 12 games. </p>



<p>That has Lecce firmly in contention to drop down to Serie B. There are seven teams separated by just three points. Lecce’s most recent loss to Hellas Verona was particularly significant. Verona was on the border of the relegation zone at the start of matchday 28. Now, it is in 13th. </p>



<h2>Upcoming fixtures for Lecce</h2>



<p>Lecce will have the chance to grab crucial points in its first game without D’Aversa. The side travels to Salernitana, which is the worst team in Serie A based on the table. However, with 10 games left, the incoming manager for Lecce will not have ample time to enact their tactics. Lecce must still play Milan, Napoli, Roma and Atalanta in the closing matchdays this season. </p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Serie A club sacks manager after headbutting opposing player

Lecce sacked manager Roberto D’Aversa on Monday following the manager allegedly throwing a headbutt toward Verona forward Thomas Henry.

<p><a href="http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Weah">George Weah’s</a> goal&nbsp;could be compared to one of the best, Maradona’s World Cup run against England in the 1986.</p>
<p></p><div><figure class="image"></figure></div> Weah (World Player of the Year 1995, European Player of the Year 1995 &amp; African Player of the Year 1995) took control as he received the ball in his own penalty area and made a run down the&nbsp;entire length of the pitch, taking on&nbsp;several players and scored.<p></p>
<p>Weah combined his ball control, speed and strength to go through the players in his way. A true legend.Weah’s current endevours in his native Liberia have been political, see the BBC News article, <a href="http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4391623.stm">Weah’s pitch for Liberian votes</a></p>
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