Defender hits own coach in head with clearance

A Serie A defender may have provided us with the funniest ‘falcon’ of all, because the victim of the blow was his coach.

Inter Milan defender Marco Andreolli was in action against Genoa when he went to clear the ball into the stands under pressure when things went awry.

Footage of the match shows Andreolli stop an attack and launch the ball over the sideline, with the powerful clearance flying into the face of his manager Roberto Mancini.

The power of the blow knocked the former Man City boss off his feet as he patrolled the sideline.

Though Mancini saw the funny side and laughed it off after picking himself up off the ground, he did joke with Andreolli about dropping him from the team after Inter prevailed 3-1.

"Then in the dressing room he (Mancini) told me I won't play anymore," Andreolli joked with the media after the game despite Inter prevailing 3-1.

“It was a time when he was asking the team to attack and press hard, so maybe I went a bit too hard and the ball hit him,” Andreolli added.

Mancini confirmed to reporters that he was fine after being asked about his 'save'.

"I didn't parry the ball. It really hit me in the face! It wasn't very pleasant, but I'm more or less fine," he said.