Video: Abel takes a cell phone from the journalist who filmed him talking to the referee

Palmeiras coach Abel was filmed taking the mobile phone away from a journalist who filmed him speaking to the fourth official, at the end of the match against Atlético Mineiro, last night.

The situation took place in the Mineirão Mixed Zone, which is a place for post-match interviews and where filming may take place. Abel and especially Anderson Barros, director of football for São Paulo FC, protested with the fourth official.

The Portuguese technician realized the situation had been filmed and took the cell phone from a reporter’s hand. He took it back when he realized it had been recorded and repeated: “Brazilian football is like this because of your responsibility.”

At the press conference, Abel apologized for the incident and said he felt there was an invasion of privacy.

“I want to point that out, because everyone here likes to turn a glass of water into a storm. There was an argument, a mess out there in the tunnel, between our sporting director and one of the assistant referees. And there they were, I don’t know if the journalists were filming it all. I apologize if I overstepped. There are things the press should not know. But before it turns into a storm, things happen,” he said, citing Globoesporte.

“Do you know what an invasion of privacy is? I felt like my privacy was being invaded. That’s how I felt.”