Australian defender Kevin Muscat claimed today he was spat at by French forward Robert Pires before hacking down Christophe Dugarry in Sunday night's friendly international in Melbourne.
Muscat was given a yellow card for the wild 57th-minute tackle that saw Dugarry suffer knee ligament damage that could keep him out of action for three months.
"In a deeply regrettable incident, Robert Pires spat in my face during the first half of the game," Muscat said in a statement.
"This isn't the first time he has done this in a match against Australia, and I wouldn't let it happen to me on the street, let alone during a match," the Wolverhampton Wanderers defender added.
"This is by no means an excuse, however it was the catalyst for some incidents during the match."
Muscat and Arsenal's Pires had earlier faced up to each other after the Australian crashed into the Frenchman during the 1-1 draw.
Australian coach Frank Farina substituted Muscat immediately after the tackle, which led to a scuffle involving players and officials from both sides.
AFP