• ‘I’ll rip your head off,’ says full-back on leaving stadium • Reporter is accused of ‘being a grass’

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Spain’s World Cup ended in recrimination and accusation when the full-back Jordi Alba confronted a journalist and told him: “I’ll rip your head off.”

As he was leaving the Arena da Baixada after the 3-0 win over Australia through the mixed zone where journalists gather to speak to players, Alba passed in front of Javier Gómez Matallanas, a reporter for the sports daily AS. Without stopping he said: “Next time I’ll rip your head off.”

Matallanas expressed his surprise to which Alba added: “Yes, yes, next time … I’m warning you.”

According to journalists who were present, the confrontation continued as the team boarded their flight back to Spain. Accompanied by Sergio Busquets, Alba again verbally attacked Matallanas, accusing him of being a grass.

Before that second confrontation Matallanas spoke to Onda Cero radio and related the conversation, saying: “I have no idea why. I have not written anything about him. I don’t remember writing anything about him at all.”