No one could have predicted what Phoenix Rising FC head coach Rick Schantz would say to Landon Donovan during an on-field exchange on Wednesday night.
Donovan manages San Diego Loyal SC, and he believed to have heard someone on the pitch — possibly an opposing player — call one of his guys a homophobic slur. As such, a meeting with the referees and Schantz followed.
But when Donovan shared his accusation, Schantz appeared to downplay the issue, saying homophobic slurs are “a part of soccer.”
Kicking the ball is a part of soccer, but using a homophobic slur on the pitch is not — last time we checked.
