“It’s shocking for me” – Slavia chief launches attack on Steven Gerrard and Rangers

SK Slavia Prague’s Europa League win over Rangers on Thursday was overshadowed by incidents that took place on and off the pitch.

Rangers’ Glen Kamara alleged he was racially abused by Slavia defender Ondřej Kúdela.

On their arrival home, Slavia Prague president Jaroslav Tvrdík gave an interview to Sport.cz, and responded to the racism allegations.

“Two guys said something vulgar on the field, it was definitely not racist. We hope that UEFA will investigate everything,” he said,

The centre-back has denied the allegations and further went on to claim the Rangers midfielder punched him in the tunnel, in front of Steven Gerrard and UEFA representatives.

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The Slavia chief is of the belief the physical attack on Kúdela was done with an intent to cause harm.

“The attack on the player Ondřej Kúdela was prepared and thought out, including the deliberate covering of cameras at the scene of the incident. The brutal attack was carried out with full force with the aim of injuring and causing physical harm,” Tvrdík explained.

Gerrard came out in support of Kamara and stressed he “100 percent believes” the Rangers player. When backing the Finnish midfielder, the Ibrox manager went on state he trusts the player with his life.

The midweek tie in Glasgow also saw two red cards, including one for Kemar Roofe for kicking Slavia’s Ondřej Kolář. The goalkeeper had to be stretchered off the pitch and was in need of immediate medical attention. Tvrdík wasn’t kind in his own evaluation of comments made by the Rangers boss.

“It’s a huge disappointment. (Coach Gerrard) says he’s proud of his charges, but I don’t know how proud he can be of a player who brutally injured our goalkeeper like that,” Česká Televize quoted Tvrdík as saying.

“How proud he can be of other incidents. Instead of expressing regret, their players pretend that incidents did not happen.

“But the fact that he (Gerrard) was not interested in the health of our goalkeeper at all was an unpleasant surprise for me. Just like the Rangers player hasn’t physical attacked Kúdela. Their coach stood by and the club pretended that this situation did not arise at all. It’s shocking for me.”