Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted showing his middle finger to Hertha Berlin supporters after Saturday’s dramatic 1-1 draw between the two teams – but claims he only did so because he had been spat on.

Bayern returned to Bundesliga action with an away match against sixth-place Hertha and fell behind in the first-half when Vedad Ibisevic cutely flicked home Marvin Plattenhardt's free kick.

With the score still at 1-0 after 90 minutes, Hertha looked set to become only the second team to beat Bayern in the league this season. But in the sixth minute of injury-time Robert Lewandowski scored the equalising goal, prodding home from a goal-mouth scramble.

Tempers then boiled over when Hertha's goalkeeper Rune Jarstein retrieved the ball and angrily booted it into the back of Xabi Alonso from close range, prompting an ugly on-pitch melee between both sets of players.

It was at this point that Hertha fans are alleged to have spat on Ancelotti, as he made his way back to the away team dressing room. Ancelotti responded by raising his middle finger to the crowd and is now likely to face sanctions from the German Football Association.

"Yes, I made this gesture as I was spat at earlier,” Ancelotti confirmed in an interview with ARD Sportschau. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer meanwhile criticised the 74,667 strong crowd for failing to set a good example.

Xabi Alonso and Rune Jarstein almost came to blows (Getty Images)

"That has nothing to do with fair play, it doesn't matter how frustrated you are,” he said. “There's a massive crowd here and it's not setting a good example.”

The result means second-place RB Leipzig can narrow the gap on leaders Bayern to five points if they win their away match at 10th-place Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday.