Roberto Mancini accuses rival manager of homophobic slur

Head coach FC Internazionale Roberto Mancini and head coach SSC Napoli Maurizio Sarri. Photo / Getty

Roberto Mancini has claimed Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri branded him a 'f****t' and a p**f' in a dramatic homophobic rant during a touchline bust-up on Tuesday night.

Former Manchester City boss Mancini, taking charge of Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia, became embroiled in a heated exchange with his Italian counterpart in the latter stages of the game at Stadio San Paolo.

And speaking about the incident after the match, Mancini is reported to have told Rai Sport: 'Sarri should be drummed out of football. I got up to ask the fourth official why there were five minutes of added time.

"Sarri then got up and shouted 'p**f' and 'f****t' at me. I would be proud to be that if he is what's considered a man.

"I am not remotely interested in talking about the game. A 60-year-old man who acts like this is shameful. You can argue, but this is shameful.

"I went to find him in the locker room and he apologised, but I want him to be ashamed of what he said. In England someone like him wouldn't even be allowed to set foot on the touchline."

The alleged incident occured after Adem Ljajic had doubled Inter Milan's lead to secure their place in the last four of the Coppa Italia.

Substitutes spilled onto the pitch in celebration, before the fourth official and former Arsenal defender Sylvinho - assistant manager of Inter Milan - were left to pull the two managers apart.

When asked after the match if he used a homophobic slur on Mancini, Sarri is reported to have replied: 'I can't remember, it's possible.

"I was fired up and angry, so I'm not sure what I said. Adrenaline does strange things to people and can trip you up. As far as I'm concerned, it was part of the game and at the 90th minute it's all over.

"Am I homophobic? That seems over the top. I was just irritable."

Mancini went sent off by the referee, while Sarri remained in his position on the touchline until the full-time whistle just minutes later.

"It was the kind of argument that people have on the touchline or on the pitch," Sarri continued.

"I apologised to him in the locker room, but I expected him to apologise to me too. I think what happened on the pitch should stay on the pitch."

It is not the first time Mancini has been involved in a touchline spat, previously courting controversy as Manchester City manager in 2010.

He and then-Everton boss David Moyes were the subject of an FA investigation after Mancini sparked a melee by barging into his opposite number during a Premier League match.

Moyes had caught the ball as Manchester City chased a comeback from 2-0 down in injury time, while Everton wanted to whittle down the clock to secure the three points.

The pair later shared a handshake and a post-match drink, but Moyes commented: "Next time I won't catch the ball. I will let it run off down the tunnel. That would have wasted more time."

Sarri is also no stranger to controversy, having previously been fined for making a rude gesture towards Varese fans while in charge of Empoli.

At the same club, he was alleged to have made similar comments to those on Tuesday night, noting in a post-match interview: 'Football has become a sport for f**s.

"We suffered twice as many fouls, but we had more yellow cards. It's a contact sport in Italy and but the whistle is blown a lot more than in England because of the interpretation by homosexuals."