Joe Hart was left delivering a bumbling apology to a journalist after hitting her with the ball during a warm-up with current club Celtic ahead of their Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Ingrid Halstensen, who works for Norwegian broadcaster TV2, was preparing to deliver a piece to camera when she was hit with an errant ball fired her way by Hart. In clips shared on social media, you can see her briefly turn around and smile before returning to the task at hand.
Hart was asked about the incident after the game, which was held in Warsaw with Ukrainian side Shakhtar still unable to play matches in their own country. And the goalkeeper, who has 75 England caps to his name, was extremely apologetic.
"I was begging to say sorry but you didn't turn around, apologies," Hart said after the game, in interview footage shared by TV2. He then asked if Halstensen was live on TV at the time, which she was.
"My goalie coach was probably five yards [away]," he added. "That's why my career's gone where it's gone".
The match itself had ended all square. An own goal from Artem Bondarenko put Celtic in front in the Polish capital, only for Miykhaylo Mudryk to equalise for Shakhtar before the break when he escaped the attentions of the visitors' back-line and fired high into Hart's net.
How will Celtic get on in this season's Champions League? Have your say in the comments section
The result ensures Celtic sit third in their Champions League group with a single point from their pair of games. They were beaten at home by Real Madrid in their opener, despite a spirited performance, and will be looking to pick up points from a crucial double-header against winless RB Leipzig after the international break.
After the game, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou suggested his team deserved more on the basis of their performance. “We created opportunities and limited them, and I couldn’t ask any more of the players. I’m just disappointed we couldn’t get the win," the Australian told club media.
"They gave everything but we didn’t get the rewards tonight, but if we keep doing that, we will," the manager continued. “It gives us another moment to reflect that that’s what we have to do at this level.
"We have to be at our best all the time for every minute of the game, and that’s where we want to be. We want to test ourselves every time and we did that again today, and we’ll do it for every game in this group.”
Before travelling to Leipzig on October 5, Celtic have league games to come away to St Mirren and at home to Motherwell either side of the international break. Postecoglou's team sit top of the table with a 100% record after six games, scoring 25 goals - including nine in a win at Dundee United - and conceding just once.
