‘In the years of career I have never allowed myself to disrespect anyone’
Lucas Leiva has denied claims that he verbally abused AC Milan’s disabled press officer
A report in Italian outlet Il Messaggero alleged that Lazio’s Lucas told Milan’s disabled Press officer to “just sit there and shut up” after Saturday’s heated Serie A clash.
Emotions were running high at the San Siro, where a melee involving multiple players and staff members took place on the final whistle.
Several players such as Franck Kessie, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Andrea Bertolacci, Luiz Felipe and Patric are all facing retrospective disciplinary action for their roles in the post-match antics.
But Lucas, who spent 10 years with Liverpool before his 2017 switch to Lazio, has hit out at claims that he mocked Milan’s disabled press officer in the scuffle.
Comunicato. pic.twitter.com/roAdBYvkYL
— Lucas Leiva (@LucasLeiva87) April 16, 2019
“I would like to clarify clearly that the accusations recently addressed to my person on any facts in the post-game of Milan are totally false and unfounded,” Lucas wrote on social media.
“It is my concern to highlight this unfortunate and totally false fact towards me, because in the years of career I have never allowed myself to disrespect anyone.
“This is absolutely not part of my professional behaviour and also offends not only third parties but also me at human level.
“Surely in a football game, taken from competitive tension, I may have said many things, but there is always a limit that I never allowed myself to overcome, as my education founded on respect and common sense would never let me tolerate such conduct.”
