When Alf-Inge Haaland stood over Roy Keane in September 1997 accusing him of feigning injury, it was the beginning of the end for the Norwegian defender. We won't let the fact that Keane's infamous revenge tackle didn't actually cause his retirement to get in the way of the story so, with that in mind, Joel Robles had better watch out.
Kevin De Bruyne doesn't exactly have the same reputation as Keane so it's unlikely things will play out in a similar manner but these things change people so Robles could do with looking over his shoulder for the next couple of years.
Perhaps in an effort to prevent any Keane-style revenge, the Everton keeper was quick to take to social media last night after he was roundly criticised for standing over a seriously injured De Bruyne, accusing him of wasting time and even giving his arms a quick pull to make sure he was faking it. De Bruyne's screams suggested he wasn't and Belgian playmaker was allowed to get some treatment.
It's the diving culture that's at fault here of course but, aside from being dumped out of the Capital One Cup in controversial circumstances, Robles' apology would suggest that he wasn't going to be risking a battled hardened De Bruyne coming back for him in a couple of years.
I would like to apologise to Kevin De Bruyne for my reaction to his injury. In the heat of the moment I didn't realise he was badly hurt. ..
— 𝙅𝙊𝙀𝙇 𝙍𝙊𝘽𝙇𝙀𝙎 (@joelroblesb) January 27, 2016
I wish him all the best and a speedy recovery
— 𝙅𝙊𝙀𝙇 𝙍𝙊𝘽𝙇𝙀𝙎 (@joelroblesb) January 27, 2016
Video via /r/soccer
