Mousinho 'furious' over account of Bielik incident

What the report says

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has said he was “absolutely furious” after reviewing the circumstances around an altercation involving Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik and a supporter during Portsmouth’s win over Cardiff. The BBC Sport report says the incident happened late in the second half, when Bielik went into the crowd area to retrieve a ball, and Hampshire Police later said it had opened an investigation into an alleged common assault involving a teenage boy.

Mousinho said his immediate post-match remarks, which included an apology to Cardiff players and criticism of fan behaviour, were based on what he was told at the time by officials. He said the referee told Portsmouth staff that he had seen the incident clearly, and that this account led him to believe the fan had slapped Bielik and another supporter had thrown a ball at Perry Ng. After seeing footage later, Mousinho said he felt misled by the information he had received.

The manager said the reaction from some Portsmouth fans showed why he was frustrated, as some appeared to think Bielik had been grabbed by the throat. He said the wider incident should be left to the police investigation. In a general football context, such cases can also involve reviews by match officials’ bodies, though BBC Sport reported only that Pro Ref had been contacted for comment.