Brazil's Flamengo found themselves embroiled in a dramatic saga as assistant coach Pablo Fernandez faced the wrath of the club for punching star striker Pedro in the dressing room.
The bombshell decision to fire the 52-year-old Fernandez came after an emergency meeting with club honchos.
It seems that head coach Jorge Sampaoli's future at the club ahead of their high-stakes Copa Libertadores round of 16 clash with Paraguay's Olimpia hangs in the balance due to his assistant's assault.
Brazilian striker, Pedro didn't hold back as he accused Fernandez of landing a shocking blow on his unsuspecting face.
The incident reportedly unfolded right after Flamengo's 2-1 victory against Atletico Mineiro in a Brazilian championship match.
The Minas Gerais police claimed that the irate assistant coach even slapped the young star thrice before delivering the infamous knockout punch.
Pedro took to Twitter to announce that he had formally filed charges against Fernandez.
The striker also voiced his frustrations with Sampaoli's other assistants, hinting at a boiling cauldron of tensions simmering within the squad since the Argentinian coach's takeover in April.
"The physical cowardice came after the psychological cowardice I have endured in recent weeks," Pedro said. "May God forgive a person who believes, in 2023, that a physical assault will sort out any problem."
Fernandez apologized in an attempt to salvage the wreckage of his career.
He was "distraught and willing to resolve the situation" with Pedro as swiftly as possible.
Fernandez pointed to "high-stress situations that make us react and think badly."
While he refrained from using his circumstances as an excuse, he hoped it would at least shed light on the complexity of his actions.
However, this is not the first time Fernandez's temper has led to devastating consequences.
He was previously suspended by France's Ligue 1 in 2021 after he punched a fan during an intense altercation at a match between Olympique Marseille and Nice.
Amid the whirlwind of controversy, Sampaoli added his voice to the conversation with his own statement, advocating for a dialogue-driven resolution to the crisis.
Having worked with Fernandez since 2019, the Argentinian coach is all too aware of the complexities of the situation.
