Uruguayan footballer left with blood POURING down his face after being hit by a ROCK thrown from the stands in Copa Libertadores fixture… and is sent to hospital for stitches
- A stone thrown by Rosario fans hit Penarol defender Maximiliano Olivera
- Olivera was left with blood streaming down his face before he was sent to hospital
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Penarol defender Maximiliano Olivera has suffered a huge cut under his eye after being hit by a stone thrown by the crowd during Thursday’s Copa Libertadores opener.
The Uruguayan side’s match against Rosario, in which the latter won 1-0, was marred when Olivera had blood streaming from his face after being hit by a stone.
After lying on the ground awaiting treatment, Olivera had to be restrained by several players and staff as he made his way to the stands.
The Uruguayan defender then left the field after being substituted before going to hospital in Rosario where doctors inspected the extent of the cut.
Following the incident, Olivera released a statement on Instagram, informing fans of his condition. He said, ‘I’m fine! Thanks for the messages.’
Maximiliano Olivera was hit by a stone thrown by the crowd, which opened a cut in his eye
Olivera, 32, shared a statement after the ordeal saying: ‘fine beyond the pain’
Penarol’s players and staff had to stop the defender when he entered the stands
He continued, “Apart from the pain and a few stitches, everything is fine! Hurt by the result where we feel we deserved more.
‘But with a lot of anger about the terrible treatment that our fans, our people, have suffered. A disgrace!
‘But all together we will fight everywhere! Peñarol and nothing more. This follows! Let’s go and let’s go.’
The tone was set before kick-off when the Rosario fans tore up a fence separating the two groups of supporters and threw it into the Penarol fans section.
Videos on social media also show what appears to be Penarol fans launching a flare at the home fans. Unfortunately, the scenes in the stands led to the terrible scenes on the field.
It has been reported that Olivera briefly fainted after being hit during the group stage while still on the pitch.
WARNING: Graphic content
The stone that was thrown from the stands at the Olivera appears to have been found
Penarol released a club statement following the incident, sharing that there is an ongoing investigation to identify the supporters responsible.
The statement read: ‘Club Atletico Rosario Central informs that, due to the reprehensible and inadmissible events that took place in the match of Thursday, April 4, 2024, it is reviewing the cameras and access controls to immediately identify those supporters.
‘Both the local bias and that of the visitor – who instigated and/or carried out incidents and/or acts of violence.
‘Once identified, they will be punished in accordance with the strictest legal and regulatory guidelines and, in the case of those involved who were members of our institution, the right of admission will be applied to them and ultimately they will be duly punished and expelled. irrevocably with whom it corresponds.
‘From our club, and as we proclaim in our media and social network campaigns, we provide a show without any form of violence, before, during and after every match.
“We are not prepared to tolerate these types of events and will take ruthless action against mavericks who threaten the integrity of the matches in our Stadium.”