A stray soccer ball drilled a Europa League reporter on the back of the head on live TV

The sidelines can be a dangerous place … in all sports.

Ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semifinal between Valencia and Arsenal, Gol TV’s Monica Benavent was doing a live sideline report to preview the match during warmups.

That was when a wayward soccer ball entered the live shot and hit Benavent on the back of the head. This did not look like a pleasant experience.

Una reportera de Gol sufrió un tremendo pelotazo en la previa del partido de Valencia vs Arsenal 😱👀 pic.twitter.com/45gASzPgJx

— Anthony Acuña 🇵🇾 (@Anthony_PY_96) May 9, 2019

Despite the best efforts of that pixelated player, the backside of Benavent’s head took the brunt of the soccer ball.

We saw a similar incident back in 2012 when ESPN’s Martin Keown was drilled in the head with a ball during an FA Cup pregame report.

Thankfully, Benavent would be OK. She tweeted later in the evening that all was well.

¡Vivita y coleando! Os escribe la primera en comprobar que el @valenciacf estaba afinando la puntería para el #ValenciaArsenal que sí ya pintaba a épico, para mi lo empieza a ser. 🤣 💪🏽 Nada que no cure un Ibuprofeno. #ElMédicoYaLeDijoAMiMadreQueTeníaUnaBuenaCabeza pic.twitter.com/ipTrdcIuVO

— Mónica Benavent (@monicabenaventv) May 9, 2019

She wrote that she was “alive and kicking” and joked that it was nothing that Ibuprofen couldn’t cure.

That’s great to hear because it certainly looked painful.