Former Liverpool winger Albert Riera did not get the welcome he hoped for in his new management job, after a gang of angry Ultras forced him to leave his first press conference.
The Spaniard, who played for the Reds under Rafa Benitez from 2008-10, was recently appointed the new boss of Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana, after leaving his assistant coach post at Turkish club Galatasaray. But when the 40-year-old was presented to national media by his new club, the press conference was stormed by a group of supporters, some of whom were masked, who confronted Riera and the club's chairman at the front of the room.
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After making an attempt to diffuse the situation, Riera left the room when the assembled Ultras started to raise their voices in highly intimidating scenes. A report by Futbol Internacional explains that the group's grievance lies with anger at the dismissal of former manager Robert Prosinecki, with the Croatian forced to leave just three months into the role after a dispute with the club's board and in particular president Adam Delius.
Reports elsewhere suggest that Olimpija Ljubljana is in financial ruin and a statement from the club itself claimed that previous manager Prosinecki would stay up late with coaching staff, drinking and playing cards, with morning training sessions often called off at short notice as as result.
Despite the ugly press conference scenes, the Slovenian side confirmed that Riera had taken his first training session on Monday (July 4) and would be in the dugout for the first time when they face Luxembourg FC Differdange in the first qualifying round of the Europa League Conference on Thursday (July 7).
Riera made 56 appearances for Liverpool across two seasons, scoring five goals.
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