Shanghai SIPG striker Hulk accused of punching Guizhou Zhicheng coach because he ‘despises Chinese people’
Yu Ming said to have been hit by the Brazilian during incident at half-time of Saturday’s Chinese Super League match at Shanghai Stadium
Shanghai SIPG insist claims Hulk punched a Guizhou Zhicheng assistant coach during Saturday’s 3-0 Chinese Super League win for Andre Villas-Boas’ side because the Brazilian striker “despises Chinese people” are untrue and intended to “provoke hostility between the foreign players and Chinese people”.
Hulk is accused of knocking Yu Ming to the ground in the tunnel at half-time at Shanghai Stadium, with SIPG leading 1-0 thanks to Wang Shenchao’s 43rd-minute close range header from Hulk’s cross.
Tensions are believed to have boiled over from a first half in which Guizhou had two goals ruled out by referee Gu Chunhan, with Yu claiming Hulk “punched me on the right of my face,” in front of SIPG coach Villas-Boas before police intervened.
“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 Guizhou coach Li Bing, who is set to be replaced by Spaniard Gregorio Manzano soon.
“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.
Watch: Shanghai SIPG 3 Guizhou Zhicheng 2 highlights