Slovakia manager Francesco Calzona has explained why he ended up involved in a heated exchange with England midfielder Declan Rice at the end of last night’s tense encounter in Euro 2024.
Rice had to be held back by England teammates and colleagues in a big row on the pitch after the game, but it seems the Arsenal midfielder ended up apologising, according to Calzona.
The Italian tactician will no doubt have felt aggrieved by the result as Slovakia performed very well for most of the game and were pretty unlucky to be undone by a moment of individual magic by Jude Bellingham, who scored an overhead kick equaliser in stoppage time.
Bellingham’s goal forced extra time, when Harry Kane was then able to head in the winner and book England’s place in the quarter-finals.
Calzona clearly had some issues with one or two refereeing decisions on the night, and he explained that he was trying to express that while Rice was continuing to talk at him.
Still, it seems things eventually calmed down, according to Calzona, as quoted by the Metro: “Rice was supposed to go to the referees and say goodbye and then leave.
“I had to speak to the referees and he was carrying on, continuing to speak. Then he apologised and it all ended there.”
Rice had a good game for England, even if he’s had some critics at times in this tournament.
The Gunners star doesn’t normally lose his head like this, but it shows just how much the emotions were running high after this dramatic result.
England will take on Switzerland next and it’s surely vital for everyone involved to improve because there’s surely no chance the Three Lions can get past better opposition than this if they play the same way.
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