Ligue 2 club forced to deny Liverpool flop-turned-manager SLAPPED opponent during tunnel melee after match

FRENCH side Bordeaux have denied that manager Albert Riera SLAPPED an opponent during a post-match tunnel melee.

The former winger, 42, spent four years playing in England for Manchester City, Liverpool and Watford.

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Riera, who was also capped 16 times by Spain, is now a manager after hanging up his boots in 2018.

And he is now manager of Ligue 2 outfit Bordeaux, taking charge of the 14ht-placed side in October.

However, Riera appears to have landed himself in hot water after their latest game.

Bordeaux were beaten 2-1 by St Etienne yesterday, with their opponents scoring in the first and fourth minutes of injury time to complete a dramatic comeback.

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But after the final whistle, there were scuffles between the two sides.

And Riera has now been accused of slapping a St Etienne player.

RMC Sport claims a journalist from beIN Sports witnessed the incident.

Yet Riera and Bordeaux strenuously deny the allegations.

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A statement from the club read: “Bordeaux wishes to correct the erroneous information circulating on social networks following this evening’s match.

“A brief stampede took place at the entrance to the locker room after the match, to which our coach simply reacted.

“Both the arbitrators and the delegates did not consider it necessary to make a report.”

Riera is no stranger to controversy, having been suspended by Liverpool in 2010 after calling Rafa Benitez's project a "sinking ship."

He said in an interview: "When the coach says nothing to you and you are well, with no physical problems and training well, you cannot help but think it must be something personal."

After being suspended for a week, Riera was also docked wages and eventually placed on the transfer list, leading to his Olympiacos move months later.