UEFA have requested a report from the referee of Thursday's Europa League qualifier between Rapid Vienna and Aston Villa before they decide whether they will take any action after Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzon was injured by a kitchen sink that was thrown onto the pitch.
The American was a victim of a bombardment from the Rapid fans, and had cigarette lighters, cigarettes, coins and drinks, as well as the kitchen sink, hurled at him during the first leg of his side's 1-1 draw in Austria.
Guzon told me:
"All of the beverages hit - I drank some of them! - but the crowning glory was the sink. My head is fair throbbing this morning."
He went on:
"It's obviously not something anybody should have to cope with, and it's not something you like to see. At least it was a stainless steel model, and not one of the old-fashioned cast iron things - that would really have resulted in an early bath for me!"
At one point, Guzon, who deputises for veteran first-choice keeper Brad Friedel during cup competitions, picked up an object and handed it to Luxembourg referee Alain Hamer, who in turn passed it on to the fourth official. It was a balloon.
Guzon, though, was not overly perturbed by the barrage after suffering similar treatment on international duty. He laughed:
"It happens sometimes. I had a turkey thrown at me in Istanbul, some rather nice chocolates in Antwerp, a woman's knickers draped over my head in Katowice, and a combine harvester launched into the goalmouth in Tblisi. You've got to be alert; keep one eye on the crowd, and the other on the action on the pitch."
SPOOF DEBATE
How should UEFA deal with Vienna crowd incidents?
Should sinks be banned from stadiums?
How do people get sinks into the ground?
Do you know anyone who has ever taken a sink to a football match?
Do you help your Mum with the washing-up?
Is Guzon making it all up?
Do Aston Villa have a 'Brad fetish'?
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