THE Italian owner of Leeds United has said the Irish border "hurts me".
Massimo Cellino, an entrepreneur known as 'The Manager Eater', told entertainment site Buzz.ie of his love of all things Irish.
"I love Irish people; for St Patrick’s Day, for the colour green, for the fairytales," he said.
"Ireland for me is a magic country. I am proud that there are so many Irish Leeds fans."
He said he is perplexed by the Irish border but does not want to make a "political" point.
“Why has a beautiful country like that got a north and a south? It hurts me,” he said. “I don’t want to be political, because I have never been political. I am too fair to be a politician. But they are both beautiful people – north and south.
“I have Stuart Dallas from Northern Ireland. I find it very hard to understand. But I am very pleased that the fans got on at the European Championships.”
