Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno is unlikely to face punishment for pushing a ballboy during his team’s 3-0 loss to AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Tuesday, according to the Football Association (FA).
The ball was out of play in the 74th minute, with Fulham down 2-0. The ballboy approached Leno, who took the ball from him to take a goal kick and then pushed him away, much to the chagrin of the child, eliciting boos from the home fans behind the goal and resulting in a minor brawl between three Bournemouth players and two of the Fulham goalkeeper’s colleagues.
Match footage later showed Leno hugging the ballboy and addressing the fans in an apparent apology. Fulham manager Marco Silva told reporters after the game that Leno “went to speak with the boy after, as a top professional he is and a really experienced player as well.” The FA said that situations like this “are a matter for match officials to take action on if they see fit” and that “retrospective action is unlikely.”
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According to the Premier League, referee Tim Robinson stopped the multiball system, which requires ballboys to operate, shortly after the event. As a single ball was utilized for the rest of the game, the ballboys could be seen sitting in the stands.
“[Leno] wanted to play quick; the ball boys were holding; I don’t know if it was an instruction to hold the ball to delay the beginning of the game again,” Silva went on to say. “I didn’t see him push the player; I just saw him touch the ball boy.” They are not the same.”
Bournemouth head coach Androni Iraola denied that the ballboys were instructed to slow the game in order to disrupt Fulham’s rhythm as the London squad attempted to re-enter the game as the clock approached full-time.
“It looked like [Leno] pushed, but I don’t know exactly what happened,” he said. “I think for sure everyone has to be careful, because they are boys that are trying to help everyone, not only Bournemouth, but all parties involved.”
Frequently asked questions
What team did Leno used to play for?
| Youth career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–2003 | SV Germania Bietigheim | ||
| 2003–2009 | VfB Stuttgart | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2011 | VfB Stuttgart II | 57 | (0) |
| 2011–2018 | Bayer Leverkusen | 233 | (0) |
| 2018–2022 | Arsenal | 101 | (0) |
| 2022– | Fulham | 54 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008–2009 | Germany U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Germany U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Germany U19 | 5 | (0) |
| 2012–2015 | Germany U21 | 14 | (0) |
| 2016– | Germany | 9 | (0) |
Have Fulham ever won a cup?
Fulham has participated in all four levels of English football and has never won a major title; however, they came close in 2010 when they lost the Europa League Final after extra time to Athletico Madrid. Here are a few highlights: Championship (second level) winners: 2000/01.
Who are Fulham’s biggest rivals?
Chelsea are Fulham supporters’ primary opponents. [38] Despite the fact that this fixture was not played frequently in the years preceding Fulham’s promotion to the top flight, this is a clear local rivalry because Chelsea’s home venue, Stamford Bridge, is in Fulham.
Who used to own Fulham?
In 1997, Al-Fayed paid £6.25 million for Fulham F.C., a professional football club in west London. Bill Muddyman’s Muddyman Group made the transaction. His long-term goal was for Fulham to join the Premier League within five years.
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