Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong, a player for Bayer Leverkusen, issued an apology this Wednesday for hitting the traditional bouquet of flowers placed at one of the corners of the Metropolitano Stadium after the opening goal in the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.

"I Got Caught Up in the Moment"

"After yesterday’s match, I learned about the tradition of the flower bouquet at the Metropolitano. I didn’t know about it, and in the heat of the moment after the goal, I made a mistake," Frimpong wrote on his social media accounts. The incident occurred after Ecuadorian teammate Piero Hincapié scored the 0-1 goal in first-half stoppage time, sparking celebrations that led to the mishap.

A Gesture Toward Atlético’s Tradition

Frimpong also addressed a special message to Atlético fans: "Apologies to the Atlético supporters, and especially to Margarita." This was a nod to the fan responsible for placing the bouquet of flowers in the south-end corner, a tradition that dates back to the Vicente Calderón era in the 1995-96 season when Milinko Pantic took corners for the team. Although Frimpong's actions initially drew widespread criticism, his heartfelt apology has been well-received, underscoring respect for one of the club’s most cherished traditions.