Jermaine Jenas, a Match of the Day presenter and TV pundit, has revealed how a cheeky on-field incident involving Rafael van der Vaart and Benoit Assou-Ekotto resulted in them fighting in the showers following the game.
Van der Vaart and Assou-Ekotto were two players known for being big characters in the Spurs team during that time, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to learn about the pair getting into an altercation.
Jenas spoke to William Hill’s Stripped Podcast (via Daily Star) about how Rafael van der Vaart’s actions led to a shower brawl with defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
He said:
“There was a moment at Tottenham when Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Rafael van der Vaart both wanted to take a free-kick.”
“Rafa wanted to take the free-kick, but Benoit wasn’t having any of it and so when Benoit was ready to take it, Rafa just came up and took it on the sly!
“We get in (after the game), everyone is getting changed and then suddenly I hear this commotion in the showers. It’s Rafa and Benoit going at it! It got stopped pretty much immediately but it just shows that these things happen a lot, just not on the pitch.”
Assou-Ekotto has also previously spoken about the incident claiming that the incident only brought them closer. In an interview with The Athletic earlier this year, he said:
“We actually had a fight in the dressing room once about free-kicks. He had an expectation about that, and after that we became even more close.”
“On the Sunday I had the fight with him, then a few days later he gives me the ball and I score against Everton. He was happy and we were close.”
….Rafa was up front, Benoit fired one in to him from very deep.
“suddenly I hear this commotion in the showers. It’s Rafa and Benoit going at it!”
[insert punchline]
Does anyone else buy the ‘nicey nicey’ feeling after the fight? Nah, me neither!