Uruguayan footballer left with blood POURING down his face after being hit by a ROCK thrown from the stands in Copa Libertadores fixture… and is sent to hospital for stitches

Penarol defender Maximiliano Olivera has sustained a huge gash below the eye after being struck by a stone thrown from the crowd in their Copa Libertadores opener on Thursday.

The Uruguayan side’s match against Rosario, in which the latter won 1-0, was marred when Olivera was left with blood pouring out of his face after being hit by a rock.

After first lying on the floor waiting for treatment, Olivera then had to be held back by several players and staff as he made a beeline for the stands.

The Uruguayan defender subsequently left the pitch after being substituted before heading to hospital in Rosario as doctors inspected the extent of the cut.

Following the incident, Olivera released a statement on Instagram, updating fans on his condition. He said: ‘I’m fine! Thanks for the messages.’

Olivera, 32, shared a statement after the ordeal in which he stated ‘fine beyond the pain’

Penarol players and staff had to hold the defender back as he made a beeline for the stands

He continued: ‘Beyond the pain and a few stitches, everything is fine! Hurt by the result that we believe we deserved more.

‘But with a lot of anger about the terrible treatment that our fans, our people, received. A shame!

‘But all together, we are going to fight everywhere! Peñarol and nothing more. This follows! Let’s go and let’s go.’  

The tone was set before kick-off when the Rosario fans tore up a fence seperating the two sets of supporters and threw it into the Penarol fans section.

Videos on social media also show what looks like Penarol fans launching a flare into the home supporters. Unfortunately, the scenes in the stands led to the dreadful scenes on the pitch. 

It has been reported that Olivera briefly fainted after being hit, while still on the pitch, during the group stage encounter. 

WARNING: Graphic content 

The rock that was thrown at the Olivera from the stands has seemingly been found

Penarol released a club statement following the incident, in which they shared there is an ongoing investigation to identify the supporters responsible.

The statement read: ‘Club Atletico Rosario Central informs that, due to the reprehensible and inadmissible events that occurred in the match played this Thursday, April 4, 2024, it is reviewing the cameras and access controls in order to immediately identify those supporters.

‘Both the local bias as well as that of the visitor – who have incited and/or carried out incidents and/or acts of violence.

‘Once identified, they will be sanctioned in accordance with the strictest legal and regulatory guidelines and, in the case of those involved who were members of our institution, the right of admission will be applied to them and, eventually, they will be duly punished and expelled. Irrevocably to whom it corresponds.

‘From our Club, and as we proclaim in our media and social networks campaigns, we ensure a show without any type of violence, both before, during and after any match.

‘We are not willing to tolerate these types of events and we will be relentless against misfits who threaten the integrity of the matches in our Stadium.’