Kyle Walker’s altercation with Felipe Melo. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Jack Grealish has rubbished Felipe Melo’s claims that he was mocking Fluminense’s players during Manchester City’s Club World Cup win against the Brazilians.
Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia after a 4-0 win against the South Americans.
But tempers flared at full-time when Melo had to be dragged away from an altercation with Kyle Walker.
Melo, 40, has never been far from controversy during his career but the Brazilian claimed he was provoked by Grealish during the match.
The midfielder claimed Grealish was mocking his opponents by shouting ‘ole’ as City kept the ball in the second half.
Grealish has denied Melo’s claims (Photo by Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
‘I’ve already seen on social media idiots saying that I started a mess,’ Melo said after full time.
‘Just as the idiots said that I started the mess with the goal that Gremio scored.
‘In the game against Gremio, I calmly went to ask the athlete celebrating with their fans. And they ended up creating a mess. And I didn’t want a mess. Today Grealish was disrespectful towards the Fluminense institution and I will never let that happen.
‘He was shouting ole at the end of the game. This is for the fans, the fans can shout ole. The athlete on the field cannot be disrespectful towards the institution.
‘So, for the idiots who call themselves journalists and have already said that I started trouble, I didn’t start any confusion, on the contrary, I went to defend Martinelli, who was being cornered by this athlete. And I would do it again. I am a warrior.’
But Grealish was quick to deny the claims.
The playmaker took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to counter Melo’s accusations.
Replying to a Tweet carrying Melo’s claims, Grealish wrote: ‘Not once did I say ole’.
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He wasn’t happy…