Ex-Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal star Yossi Benayoun survives grenade attack | Football

Former Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Yossi Benayoun survived a frightening grenade attack on his home in Israel at the weekend.

Benayoun, 44, was present inside the house, along with his family, when an individual on a motorbike pulled up and launched a device through the door.

According to reports in Israel, the resulting explosion caused ‘minor damage’ to the entrance of the building but nobody was seriously hurt in the blast.

Emergency services rushed to the Beyanoun residence in Ramat Hasharon, situated just north of Tel Aviv, at around 11pm on Sunday night and a police investigation is now underway.

Reports say the incident is being treated as a criminal attack rather than a terrorist event.

Benayoun, who made 194 appearances in the Premier League, has said he suspects the terrifying attack was a case of mistake identity.

‘This is definitely a mistake – I have no doubt that the grenade was not aimed at my house,’ he said.

‘At first I thought it was a gas cylinder explosion and we called the fire department.

‘It was only when the police arrived at the house and found the remains of a grenade that we realised what really happened.’

A police statement read: ‘The police hotline received a report of hearing an explosion outside a house.

‘Police from the Glilot station arrived at the scene and began an investigation.

‘As a result of the explosion, damage was caused. There were no casualties.’

Benayoun is widely considered to be one of the finest Israeli players in the history of the game and is fondly remembered by fans of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers.

The diminutive playmaker, who was capped 102 times by the Israel, was a part of Chelsea’s squad that won the Europa League trophy at the end of the 2012/13 season.

He was on the losing side in 2006 when Steven Gerrard dragged Liverpool to victory over West Ham in the final of the FA Cup.

In April 2019, after a second spell with Beitar Jerusalem, Benayoun announced his retirement from football, bringing an end to a career spanning over two decades.

More to follow.

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