New footage reveals how tunnel bust-up between Man City and Atletico Madrid stars started

Fresh footage of how the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Atletico Madrid and Man City descended into anarchy has emerged, with the likes of Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker involved.

After a melee on the field in the dying stages of Wednesday night’s clash at the Wanda Metropolitano – which saw former City defender Stefan Savic grab Grealish’s hair – the former followed the latter into the tunnel and exchanged words with him after the full-time whistle.

Footage from inside the tunnel was then released of a reported physical altercation in a clip circulating online, and there were reports objects were thrown at members of the opposite camps, but it was not known what had caused the brawl.

Fresh footage of how the quarter-final between Atletico Madrid and Man City descended into anarchy has emerged

But a new video which has emerged online seems to demonstrate how the fracas began, though it is not clear who took the footage. 

As the players walk down the tunnel, Grealish and Savic are seen in a heated conversation, but things are not allowed to boil over as a member of security and City defender Ruben Dias pull the England international away from the Montenegrin.

The pair then disappear down the tunnel but the drama does not stop as Savic’s Atletico team-mate Sime Vrsaljko then looks to get a piece of the action. 

That then appears to prompt a person believed to be part of City’s backroom staff and right-back Kyle Walker to give a little shove to the Croatian, which in the just causes more pushing between both sides.

Sime Vrsaljko appeared to throw an object — likely a training bib — towards the City players on the other side

It then fell to unused City substitute Romeo Lavia, 18, and striker Gabriel Jesus to pull the England defender away from all the pushing and shoving, while Vrsaljko attempts to run up the tunnel to Aymeric Laporte and say something to him.  

The 30-year-old had to be forcibly restrained on the left-hand side of the tunnel but is still adamant to do something, and despite being held back he appears to throw an object — likely a training bib — towards the City players on the other side.

The players then largely move out of view of the video shortly after the police make their way down the tunnel to attend to the brawl, with Fernandinho and injured star Kevin De Bruyne the last players to make their way off the sidelines.

It was the culmination of distasteful scenes at the Wanda Metropolitano, but it appears former Aston Villa star Grealish has earned a new nickname because of it.

The Mirror are reporting the 26-year-old is now referred to as a ‘Peaky Jack’ by some of his team-mates after his bitter feud with Savic, in reference to the Peaky Blinders TV series set in Birmingham about a gang. 

Jack Grealish (left) has reportedly been given the nickname ‘Peaky Jack’ by some team-mates

Their spat began in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, when the defender apparently told Grealish ‘I’ll have you in Madrid’. The latter is then said to have responded telling Savic to give it his best shot.

But City defender John Stones praised his side for keeping their heads during the on-field melee – which saw Felipe eventually sent off – and in the tunnel. 

‘We know that they sometimes try and make things happen like that and we dealt with it really well,’ Stones said.

‘It is not nice to talk about and I don’t want to dwell on it because over the two legs we played incredible against such an experienced side in what they do, we kept our tempers and it is easy to get drawn into stuff like that.

‘We knew it was not an easy place to come, it is a hostile environment, it was a difficult night all round and how we defended and controlled ourselves over the two legs was incredible.’