A scuffle between two assistant coaches of Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers occurred during a 1-1 draw between the two teams in the Premier League.
Forest and Wolves assistant coaches Alan Tate and Pablo Sanz were both sent to the stands in the second half after pushing and shoving each other in the dugout.
The incident happened following Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White having a penalty denied by referee Chris Kavanagh and Wolves winger Adama Traore also seeing a spot-kick not awarded.
Forest head coach Steve Cooper said after the game: “I can’t say that nothing happened, but I was facing the pitch so I did not see how it started.
“I do not say this disrespectfully, but we know that there has been a lot of ill discipline on the Wolves touchline since the change in manager.
“I do not have a problem with that. It is only when you come up against them. We were prepared for it. The last thing we wanted was for anything to boil over or for there to be any problems.
“But, at the same time, at our stadium, you know, we cannot let opposing staff dominate officials and try to influence the game. We have to stand up for it. That is all it was.
“I do not want to see any cards for us or them, but I have zero complaints with our staff. We know that it was something we thought could possibly happen today and we were ready for it.”
Wolves head coach Julen Lopetegui added: “In these kind of matches there is big emotion and it’s important to keep the emotion in football in the same way it’s important to keep respect.
“We are working for a lot of people, a lot of kids, and we have to show a big respect between us.
“This is very important for me and I always try to do it, always in my life.”
Both teams have clashed in the past this season and in March, the FA charged Forest and Wolves for a brawl during their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash after a penalty shootout, where stewards were forced to intervene.
Players from both sides were involved in a scuffle after the shootout, which Cooper’s side won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Wolves had won a Premier League meeting between the sides 1-0 in October but a Twitter spat — sparked by Forest ahead of kick-off — had set the tone for a tempestuous cup encounter.
Daniel Podence’s late equaliser rescued Wolves a crucial point after Brennan Johnson gave Forest the lead.
Forest’s winless league run was extended to six matches, while Wolves have won only one of their last seven.
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(Photo: Getty Images)
