Tottenham and Brighton fined by FA following touchline brawl

Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion have been fined by the Football Association (FA) for their unsportsmanlike behaviour when they locked horns earlier this month.

There was a sense of ill-temper between Cristian Stellini and Roberto De Zerbi, who were seen arguing before kick-off, which set the tone for a game marred by controversy.

Those arguments soon evolved into a mass confrontation in the second half shortly after Danny Welbeck had seen his goal chalked off by VAR with the game at 1-1.

Staff and players from both benches clashed on the touchline, which eventually led to both managers being sent to the stands.

Both clubs have now been fined for the mass confrontation, having admitted they failed to control their players in an orderly fashion.

An FA statement read (via the Evening Standard): “Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion have been fined £100,000 each for a mass confrontation that occurred during their Premier League match on Saturday, 8 April.

“Both clubs admitted they failed to ensure their benches conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and did not behave in a way which is proper during the 58th minute. 

“An independent regulatory commission imposed their fines following a subsequent hearing.”

After the brawl, Brighton were denied a clear-cut penalty in the 70th minute of the game by on-field referee Stuart Attwell following a foul by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on Kaoru Mitoma.

Despite studying the incident, VAR referee Michael Salisbury also failed to recommend that Attwell review the event on the pitch-side monitor.

Harry Kane snatched a late winner for Tottenham, leaving the Seagulls furious with the match officials with their European ambitions taking another hit.

PGMOL Chief Howard Webb has since apologised to Brighton, claiming they should have been awarded a penalty with VAR referee Salisbury axed from officiating duty in the subsequent match week.