2 days ago
Slovakia head Francesco Calzona has blamed Declan Rice for their spat connected Sunday, pouring caller substance connected nan occurrence of their confrontation.
Calzona shoved Rice successful nan thorax while England's stars held their team-mate backmost successful a furious fracas pursuing England's 2-1 triumph complete Slovakia astatine Euro 2024.
The Slovakia leader had stormed connected to nan transportation to face referee Umut Meler astir nan Three Lions' time-wasting and Rice tried to intervene.
A lip-reading maestro exclusively told Mail Sport that Rice said 'shut up, p***y, oi, unopen up, you bald ****' - and now nan head has deed back.
'Rice was opinionated adjacent to nan referees, I wanted to inquire nan logic for nan deficiency of added clip considering nan time-wasting done by nan English, he shouted astatine maine and I replied successful a akin tone,' he told Sky Sport Italia via Tutto Mercato.
Slovakia leader Francesco Calzona (centre) has blamed Declan Rice for their confrontation
He claimed that Rice was acting for illustration a 'bodyguard' for nan referee, who he wanted to speak to
Calzona connected his unit stormed connected to nan transportation aft England's triumph complete Slovakia to talk to nan ref
'He is simply a awesome player, possibly he shouldn’t person been location acting for illustration a bodyguard for nan referee.
'He could’ve avoided that, but he did apologise to maine consecutive aft that.'
The Three Lions needed a late, late, extra-late show to salvage their Euro 2024 hopes against Slovakia successful Gelsenkirchen.
After Ivan Schranz gave nan smaller federation a lead successful nan 25th minute, it took until nan 95th for Jude Bellingham to nutrient a sublime scissor footwear to equalise, pinch immoderate England fans having already near arsenic hopes ebbed away.
Harry Kane scored a header almost instantly successful extra-time and England clung connected from location to make nan past 8 of a 4th consecutive awesome tournament.
Calzona had stormed connected nan transportation to face referee Meler astir time-wasting, but Rice tried to intervene and speak to him.
When he did so, the Slovakia leader reacted aggressively by shoving nan Arsenal midfielder successful nan chest. Another personnel of his coaching unit besides pushed nan England prima away.
Rice, who was seemingly telling Calzona not to fuss speaking to nan lucifer officials, was near livid by nan incident and had to beryllium held backmost by team-mates Ivan Toney, Aaron Ramsdale and Ezri Konsa arsenic they tried to defuse nan situation.
Rice said 'shut up, p***y, oi, unopen up, you bald ****,' an master lip-reader told Mail Sport
The England midfielder was pushed by different personnel of nan Slovakia coaching unit during nan altercation
Rice had to beryllium pulled backmost by England team-mates arsenic they tried to defuse nan situation
'Rice was expected to spell to nan referees and leave,' Calzona said successful nan contiguous aftermath.
'I had to speak to nan refs and he wasn't leaving, he carried on. But past he apologised and it was each fine. I didn't for illustration nan measurement nan England squad were wasting clip and not punished.'
Tensions were already precocious earlier nan game, pinch Rice hitting retired astatine immoderate of nan Slovakia players successful his property conference.
The England star, who did not reside nan altercation, said: 'There's that soul conflict and tone successful america [that] a fewer Slovakian players earlier nan crippled said that we didn't have. We've sewage that togetherness, we proved that tonight.
'We'd do thing to protect this manager, protect each other.
'We'll support going and support fighting and what we've sewage arsenic a group coming showed retired there. It's an honour to beryllium a portion of it and we're going to springiness it everything.'
Calzona is proud of what his broadside achieved, though they grounded to hit England astatine nan seventh clip of asking.
Calzona was furious pinch England's time-wasting during extra-time arsenic they held connected for victory
'Generally speaking I'm satisfied, moreover if location is regret because we were adjacent to making history for this country,' he said.
'We were a infinitesimal and a half away... but I'm proud of nan lads. In nan 29 minutes of extra-time we kept England successful their half of nan transportation and that's a root of pride.'
