ENGLAND DEFENDER EZRI KONSA REVEALS PLASTIC CUPS WERE THROWN 'FROM ALL ANGLES' TOWARDS WAGS AND LOVED-ONES AFTER ENGLAND'S 0-0 DRAW WITH SLOVENIA... AS HE OPENS UP ON HIS BROTHER BEING HIT BY A PROJECTILE
- Several supporters were furious after England's drab 0-0 draw against Slovenia
- The family of England's players were soaked in beer after angry fans threw cups
- LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! EUROS DAILY: Should Jude Bellingham be dropped by Gareth Southgate?
The family members of some of England’s players were soaked in beer after angry fans launched cups at the end of the Three Lions’ disappointing stalemate with Slovenia.
While manager Gareth Southgate had plastic pots launched at him as he applauded supporters on the pitch, defender Ezri Konsa revealed projectiles were ‘coming from all angles’ in the stands - with panicked stars forced to check in on their loved ones after the game to ensure they had not been harmed.
A group in the bottom tier of the stadium in Cologne exchanged angry words with those sat above them following the final whistle of the 0-0 draw. It is not thought that the players’ partners and friends were recognised or targeted.
Rather, fans just threw their drinks in the air and they landed among them, drenching some. The group was sat in a general admission of the ground on the opposite side to the tunnel and bench area.
‘My brother was hit, a few others,’ Konsa said. ‘But we haven’t spoken about it too much and there’s not much we can do about it. I spoke to him after, I asked him and how he was and he said he was fine. It wasn’t directly behind the goal, but it was coming from all angles.’
Aston Villa’s Konsa added that others had also made sure that their loved ones were not hurt.
‘We check on them,’ he said. ‘There’s kids in the stands with family so we always have to check on them, reassure them and ask if they’re all right. But it’s part of the game, it happens and we try not to think about it too much.
'It wasn’t nice. But there’s a lot of players with a lot of experience who have experienced it before at club level. We know what to expect from fans. Sometimes it’s always up and down. It’s part of the game.’
Konsa said that the squad had not spoken about the cups thrown at Southgate but knew what had happened because of their families’ involvement.
‘We were aware of it because some of our family members got hit with a few drinks,’ he explained.
‘We haven’t spoken about it as players. We know that in football stuff like that happen. We try not to think about it too much so we move on.’
The allocation for family and friends is yet to be handed over for Sunday’s last-16 match against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen. When it lands, England security officials will assess it, and see if there is a need to move elsewhere.
At Thursday's meeting between local authorities and UEFA, it was decided that, as Mail Sport reported on Wednesday, low alcohol beer would once again be served at the venue.
The move – which will see low-strength 2.8 per cent beer served in the ground – is unlikely to go down well with England’s support praised for their behaviour throughout the tournament.
The instances of beer throwing, including the incident with Southgate, are thought to have played a part. The FA are expected to receive a fine for the ‘throwing of objects’ by UEFA.
Police expect most England fans will stay in Dusseldorf ahead of the game. Normal strength beer will be served at a fan zone on a racecourse around 4km from the ground.
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