Jack Grealish perplexed as furious Felipe Melo and Matheus Martinelli give explanation for Club World Cup fight
Jack Grealish has hit back at claims he taunted Fluminense players during Man City's Club World Cup final triumph.
The treble winners cruised to a 4-0 victory over the Brazilian giants in Saudi Arabia before a fight broke out at full-time.
Veteran defender Felipe Melo was seen scrapping with City captain Kyle Walker with Grealish stood nearby.
Speaking afterwards, Melo claimed he went for Grealish because the England star was 'disrespectful' to Fluminense star Matheus Martinelli.
Melo said: “When the game ended, Grealish went after Martinelli. He chose a little guy. He has no balls to face a big one.
“Grealish was passing close to Martinelli and I saw them talking, forehead to forehead, so I went after him. I pushed him. Walker pushed me, too. I went to defend a teammate.”
The 40-year-old added: “I defended my institution. I will do this forever. No one will disrespect my institution or its athletes. No one will come and humiliate my friends or my club.
“I didn't want a mess. 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 something that the fans can do, not a player — an athlete on the field cannot be disrespectful.
“I went to defend Martinelli, who was being cornered by this athlete. And I would do it again. I am a warrior. Nobody can ever crow with a rooster.”
But England forward Grealish was not having it, responding to Melo's quotes on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The 28-year-old said: “Not once did I say ‘ole’.”
However, midfielder Martinelli offered a similarly damning version of events to Melo.
The 22-year-old said: «I didn't understand what he said, everything was in English.
“I wanted him to be sent to hell because
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