Porto boss Sergio Conceicao ‘takes legal action after being accused of hitting a Spanish mayor, a referee and police officers’ during an alleged fight at a children’s football tournament in Spain

Porto manager Sergio Conceicao has reportedly filed a legal complaint against a Spanish town’s mayor over an alleged fight at a children’s football tournament

The youth tournament – the Copa Gafanote – was held in the Spanish port city of Huelva and featured Seville and Porto in the Under 9’s final. 

Porto told ESPN that Conceicao, who was accused by the mayor of Cartaya, Manuel Barroso, of hitting a referee, the mayor himself and Spanish police, has filed a complaint against the mayor for physically pushing one of his sons.

The Portuguese club confirmed Conceicao intends to take further legal action for defamation as a result of the mayor’s retelling of his version of events on a local Spanish radio station.

The club said that Conceicao went onto the field after a game at the competition to ask the referee about an incident which ‘had left the parents of many of the players sad at seeing the disappointment of their children.’

As he entered the pitch, one of Conceicao’s sons was allegedly pushed by mayor Manuel Barroso and Conceicao stepped in to try and break up the confusion and prevent Barroso from ‘attacking’ his son again, according to the two-time Champions League-winning club.

‘A criminal complaint was filed yesterday, immediately after the events, against mayor Manuel Barroso for attempted assault on Sergio Conceicao’s son,’ said Conceicao’s lawyer in a statement seen by ESPN.

‘We deny the accusations made by the same mayor, which have no basis in truth. In view of the news published in the meantime, we will also move forward with a complaint for defamatory allegations against mayor Manuel Barroso.’

ESPN reached out to Barroso and the mayor’s office for comment on Conceicao’s allegations but did not immediately receive a response.

Conceicao, a former winger who played for Inter Milan, Lazio and Porto, has been in charge of the Portuguese side since 2017.

He has three league titles to his name but is trailing league leaders Sporting Lisbon by seven points this season.

His Porto side were recently knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal in the last 16, which was followed by a row with opposite number Mikel Arteta.

Conceicao even accused Arteta of insulting his family – something Arsenal as a club denied.

The former Portugal player has also had run-ins with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel when the German was in charge of Chelsea.