This is Giancarlo Favarin, manager of Serie C club Lucchese. You’re not going to see much of him anymore, because he’s been banned for five months for unloading his cranium straight into the face of an opposing team's assistant coach. During the 2-2 draw between his side and rival Alessandria, Favarin also instructed one of his players to break an opponent’s legs. That’s also a big no-no when it comes to touchline etiquette.
Serie C’s disciplinary tribunal has charged the bad egg with “blasphemous remarks” because of the macabre instructions, to go along with the fact that he “began a slanging match with a member of the opposing team’s staff at the peak of which he hit the latter with a violent headbutt, making him fall to the ground.”
Do you want to hear from Favarin? Of course you do.
“I have always believed in football as a driver of principles and values for which I have always maintained attitudes and healthy behaviors,” he mused. “For this reason, today, I’m apologizing to everyone, opponents, fans and society for (Sunday’s) serious and unjustified act, which has nothing to do with football and sport.
“Despite experiencing a moment of particular nervous stress, and for the months experienced with difficulty and for the provocations suffered from the beginning of the game, this unfortunate episode, of which I take every responsibility, never ever should have occurred.”
Favarin’s ban will last through the end of the season. The club is currently 16th in Serie C, two points above the drop zone after 22 games. Shit has well and truly hit the fan in Lucca, Tuscany.