After a dramatic Champions League match at the San Siro, Bayern Munich defender Josip Stanisic has publicly acknowledged his frustration-driven actions that involved a ball boy. In a post-match statement, he described his behavior as “stupid” after he inadvertently shoved the young assistant in an attempt to retrieve the ball quickly.

Match Overview

The encounter ended in a 2-2 draw, resulting in Inter Milan advancing to the semifinals with a 4-3 aggregate score. The match was tense, especially during stoppage time, as Bayern sought a decisive goal.

Incident Explanation

During the closing moments of the game, Stanisic attempted to expedite the game by retrieving a ball from the ball boy. However, after the ball boy threw the ball away from him, Stanisic, in a moment of irritation, pushed him to the ground. This action prompted a response from the Inter bench, though the referee chose not to penalize Stanisic for the incident.

Stanisic’s Apology and Reflections

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Stanisic expressed regret for his actions, stating, “It was also maybe a bit stupid of me and I’m sorry that I pushed him. In that moment I was just really annoyed that these little games were being played and I found that unnecessary.”

He also acknowledged the common practice among teams to manage the match clock strategically, remarking, “Every team in the world tries to run down the clock a little. They did that a bit better than some others.”

UEFA’s Response

In light of the incident, UEFA stated that they are currently reviewing the official reports from the matches held the previous night, leaving open the possibility of disciplinary action against Stanisic.