Soccer stars are regularly subject to criticism, often for their poor performances, but sometimes their actions on and off the pitch can trigger that too. Brazilian winger Antony has recently been the subject of much criticism on social media, and he has now defended his actions. This is not the first time, either, that he has made the headlines for the wrong reasons.
The incident happened during Manchester United’s FA Cup semi final victory over Coventry City. The Red Devils were ahead by 3 goals but managed to concede three late goals. The game went to a penalty shootout, which was won by United and sent them to the final against Manchester City.
However, it was what Antony did during the ensuing celebrations that did not sit well with many fans. The Brazilian celebrated and cupped his ears towards the Coventry players in an act of trolling. Many fans thought it was a shameless gesture considering Coventry were a Championship side and had gone toe to toe with them in the fixture.
While Antony received much abuse on social media, he was defended by his manager, Erik ten Hag. And now the player himself has decided to respond on social media. He revealed that the opposition players had provoked his own fans, which elicited his strong outburst after the penalty shootout was over.
His response on Twitter said, “Coventry proved why they reached the semi-final. We seeked this spot in the final for our fans and we achieved. The way our fans were treated by their player was not nice and I, in the heat of the moment, i’ve reacted to the provocations in a natural defense of my club!”
Antony’s season for Manchester United so far
Antony has not had a very good season, which is another reason why he got so much hate on social media for his gesture. The Brazilian has scored only two goals so far this season and both of them were in the FA Cup. In 25 Premier League games, he only has a single assist to show for.
He has been very indecisive up front and many fans believe he does not dedicate himself to the club as much as he should. With the poor state of United’s results, he is being made one of the scapegoats for their failures. There is talk regarding his future being elsewhere from the club, but this remains to be seen in the summer.
For now, Antony will prepare for his next game with Manchester United, which is against Sheffield United in the Premier League on Thursday.
