AFCON 2025
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has alleged that former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi attempted to physically confront him following a controversial match between Chelsea and Manchester United in 2012.
The referee faced accusations of racially abusing Mikel Obi by allegedly calling him a “monkey” during the game. The Football Association (FA) later cleared Clattenburg of the allegations, but Mikel Obi received a ban and a £60,000 fine for threatening the referee.
In an interview on the Undr The Cosh podcast, Clattenburg recounted the tense aftermath, claiming Mikel stormed into the referee’s dressing room and threw punches.
“There was a bit of commotion outside the dressing room door [after the Chelsea vs Man United game],” Clattenburg said.
“As I opened the door, John Obi Mikel came bursting through and started swinging punches. I ducked. He tried to pin me against the wall and went: ‘F****** h***!’”
Mikel is yet to give his account of the incident, but will likely respond on the next episode of his podcast.
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