Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Shanghai SIPG's Brazilian forward Hulk has been accused of punching a rival team's coach because he "despises Chinese people".

SIPG beat Guizhou Zhicheng 3-0 in their Chinese Super League clash on Saturday but tempers flared during the half time break.

Guizhou manager Li Bing accused Hulk, who moved to the Far East from Zenit St. Petersburg for €55million last June, of assaulting his assistant coach as they headed for the dressing rooms.

"There were some arguments in the first half and their coaches took the initiative to insult us during the game, that was why we had the arguments with them," said Bing.

"This lasted until the break, and later, in the corridor, Hulk cursed our assistant coach in English. We argued with him and he punched our assistant coach Yu Ming and Yu fell to the ground.

"Foreign players come here to help with the development of Chinese football, but no matter how well you play, you can't despise Chinese people, let alone beat our Chinese coaches."

(Image: Visual China Group)

SIPG have refuted Bing's version of events, denying that Hulk punched Yu. They have also accused Guizhou of damaging their reputation and stoking ill-feeling between Chinese and foreign players.

"The claims Hulk punched the assistant coach of Guizhou are not true," an SIPG statement read.

"The statement of Li Bing and Yu Ming are inappropriate and they provoke hostility between the foreign players and Chinese people and it has affected the image of our club."

When asked for his view on the argument, SIPG manager Andre Villas-Boas replied: "I don't know what people are talking about."