From England to Europe and now the world, Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City has conquered all that they saw. City swatted the Brazilian powerhouse Fluminense in the Club World Cup final last night. However, the roaring win is a bit diminished due to an ugly on-field physical altercation between players of both sides. Manchester’s Jack Grealish and Fluminense’s Felipe Melo were at the heart of the forgettable scuffle in Saudi Arabia. Turns out, Melo’s tempers flared even outside the field. The Brazilian did not hold back from unleashing an NSFW rant on City’s Grealish.
Felipe Melo had started the physical altercation after he pushed Grealish, who had a heated exchange with Fluminense’s Matheus Martinelli. This invited Kyle Walker’s wrath and the situation escalated.
Angry Felipe Melo blasts Jack Grealish for ‘choosing a little guy’
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In a post-match interview, Felipe Melo did not hold back from condemning Jack Grealish for picking on Matheus Martinelli. “When the game ended, Grealish went after Martinelli. He chose a little guy. He has no b*lls to face a big one. He was passing close to Martinelli and I saw them talking, forehead to forehead, so I went after him. I pushed him,” said Felipe Melo. As has been always the case with most defenders, the Brazilian could not turn a blind eye when an opponent talked trash to one of his teammates.
Felipe Melo and Martinelli don't hold back on Jack Grealish in two angry post-match interviews.
🗣️ Melo: "When the game ended, Grealish went after Martinelli. He chose a little guy. He has no balls to face a big one. He was passing close to Martinelli and I saw them talking,… pic.twitter.com/5SjhlAo7lx
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 23, 2023
Meanwhile, Cityzens defender Kyle Walker was no outlier. What started as a verbal exchange between Grealish and Martinelli, soon became a battle of defenders. Subsequently, other City players and staff had to intervene to keep the situation at bay. Even though the rough and tumble has left a negative mark on Kyle Walker and the Cityzens, they lifted the title at the end of the day. Walker took home the Silver Ball award for his stunning outing at the Club World Cup.
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On goes Cityzens’ pursuit of glory
While Kyle Walker secured the Silver Ball, teammate Mateo Kovacic became the first player to win the Club World Cup with three different teams. He had earlier won the title with Real Madrid and Chelsea. Meanwhile, it is City’s Julian Alvarez who is having the time of his life. First, he conquered the world with Argentina. A treble followed the 23-year-old in Manchester. He has again conquered the world, now with Guardiola’s boys. Interestingly, it was Alvarez’s double that earned Manchester City their first-ever Club World Cup.
READ MORE: Kevin De Bruyne’s Return From Injury Can Give Pep Guardiola a Fresh Headache
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The Cityzens, however, now battle a series of uncertainties in the Premier League. They have fallen to fourth place in the race for a fourth consecutive title. But they still have the time to turn the table, if injuries and inconsistencies do not further mar the World champions. On the points table, where do you think Pep Guardiola and Co. will finish the season? Let us know in the comments below.
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