Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno is unlikely to be sanctioned after pushing a ball boy during a Premier League match.
++Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou seeks January reinforcements after Cristian Romero’s injury
The case occurred during Fulham’s 3-0 defeat against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday (26). In the 74th minute the ball went out of play, and when the ball boy ambled towards Leno, he took the ball and then pushed the boy away.
++Texans claim Kareem Jackson after he was waived by the Denver Broncos
The home fans behind the goal started booing him and there was a small fight with three Bournemouth players and two of the Fulham goalkeeper’s teammates. Later, match footage showed Leno hugging the ball boy, apparently apologizing and acknowledging the crowd.
According to the Football Association (FA) via CNN, incidents like this “are a matter for the match officials to take action if they see fit” and so “it is unlikely that retrospective action will be taken.”
After the incident, referee Tim Robinson suspended the multi-ball system, which requires ball boys to play, as permitted by league protocol. They all could be seen sitting in the stands as a single ball was used for the rest of the game.
Fulham boss Marco Silva said after the game: “[Leno] wanted to play quick, the ball boys were holding, I don’t know if it was an instruction to hold the ball to delay the beginning of the game again. I didn’t see him push the player; he touched the ball boy. They are different things”.
Bournemouth boss Androni Iraola denied Silva’s allegations. “It looked like [Leno] pushed, but I don’t know exactly what happened. I think for sure everyone has to be careful, because they are boys that are trying to help everyone, not only Bournemouth, but all parties involved”, he added.