"Never experienced it before!"

Player’s father throws umbrella at ex-Salzburg coach

Ricardo Moniz was pelted with an umbrella.

(Bild: GEPA/Screenshot SRF)

Completely crazy scene in the Swiss Cup: During the match between Zug94 and FC Zurich (0:2), former Salzburg coach Ricardo Moniz was pelted with an umbrella. A player's father had gone berserk when his son was substituted.

In the 60th minute, the time had come: 19-year-old Labinot Bajrami was substituted for FC Zurich with the score at 2-0. But 20 minutes later, the talented striker's appearance was already over. Zurich coach Ricardo Moniz (head coach at Red Bull Salzburg from 2011 to 2011) took Bajrami off the pitch again.

First insults, then a freak-out
"After the player reacted to instructions from head coach Ricardo Moniz with very vulgar language, the head coach decided to take the player off the pitch again after 20 minutes," the club announced after the match.

The youngster's father's fuses blew after the substitution. While his son was leaving the pitch, he approached the coach's bench from the main stand, shouted at Moniz and threw an umbrella in his direction. The umbrella narrowly missed the coach.

"This is a dark chapter"
 Moniz was shocked and told the Swiss daily newspaper "Blick": "I've never experienced anything like this in my career. This is a dark chapter." Will the 60-year-old Dutchman now even resign? "I now have to think with my family about what will happen next in Zurich. It can't be that safety is at risk. The sharp object missed me by a few centimeters. It's a sad story, that's not how it works."

"We condemn this action in the strongest possible terms and, together with Ricardo Moniz, will reserve the right to take legal action," FC Zurich announced. The cup duel was won 2:0 by the heavy favorites against Zug94, but the sporting action faded completely into the background ...