Lilian Thuram ´extremely shocked´ to watch son spit at Bundesliga rival

Lilian Thuram has revealed his disbelief at seeing son Marcus spit in the face of a Bundesliga opponent.

Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram picked up a six-match ban from the German Football Association (DFB) after his outrageous act towards Hoffenheim’s Stefan Posch.

The 23-year-old has been hit in the pocket too, being fined a month’s wages by Gladbach after the incident in the second half of Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat, with a further penalty of €40,000 levied by the DFB.

The sixth match of the suspension has been suspended by 12 months, with the young French forward now facing the task of repairing his tarnished reputation.

He insisted it was not a deliberate act but apologised to Posch, and Thuram also had some explaining to do to his famous father, a World Cup and European Championship winner with France.

pic.twitter.com/aoXmb41oFq

— T I K U S  (@MarcusThuram) December 19, 2020

Speaking to RCI Guadeloupe, Lilian Thuram said: “It’s completely understandable what is happening in the media. I myself was watching the match, I was extremely shocked.

“I even asked myself the question of whether that was really my son.

“Afterwards, I had his explanation, which is to say that he was raging with anger, and so he insulted the opponent and without actually doing it on purpose, he had saliva which came out.

“What he wants is for people to remember that it’s unintentional because he says himself, ‘But Dad, I wouldn’t want people to think I’m capable of spitting on someone on purpose because it doesn’t make sense’.”

Retired former Juventus and Barcelona defender Thuram explained Marcus had called younger brother Khephren, who plays for Nice, from the dressing room to explain the situation.

It remains to be seen whether the incident and the adverse attention affects Marcus Thuram’s hopes of playing for France in the delayed Euro 2020 finals next year.

Lilian Thuram said his Germany-based son would have to tolerate the sanctions against him, adding: “He accepts – and I think it’s normal – that he should be punished because indeed, it is a gesture that must not exist on the football field.”