Joey Barton, the former England international, assaulted a rival manager in a stadium tunnel after his team was beaten, a court has heard.
The alleged attack took place when Mr Barton was manager of Fleetwood Town and his side had just slid to a 4-2 loss against Barnsley at Oakwell Stadium, South Yorks, in April 2019.
The 38-year-old went on trial on Monday accused of pushing over Daniel Stendel, then in charge of Barnsley, after the final whistle, causing him to hit his face against a wall.
Ian Goldsack, prosecuting, told jurors that tension had mounted between the two sides earlier in the season, when there was a handshake between the managers that Mr Stendel took to be “an intimidatory gesture”.
The animosity continued into the match at Barnsley seven months later when Mr Barton confronted the German manager during the match, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Mr Goldsack said after the final whistle Mr Barton was “still very worked up and used some foul language towards him, which Mr Stendel did not fully understand, but realised he was being insulted”.
As players and coaching staff gradually filtered down the tunnel, Mr Barton ran past several people and entered behind Mr Stendel, the prosecutor said.
He said: “Mr Stendel felt a push from behind and fell forward, hitting his face against that tunnel structure.
“He was knocked to the ground and when he looked up he saw the defendant passing him.
“He believed him to be responsible for what happened.”
The prosecutor said: “Mr Barton did not stop, did not make any apology and did nothing to acknowledge what had taken place.”
The jury was shown video footage which showed Barton running into the tunnel after Mr Stendel and the structure then shaking.
Further footage showed a bloodied Mr Stendel being helped back to the changing room.
Mr Goldsack showed the jury photographs of injuries sustained by Mr tendel, saying the most serious were to his mouth, including an upper right incisor tooth being moved out of the bone, with some associated nerve damage.
The prosecutor continued: “Football is a sport which can arouse great passion.
“Clearly there was some history to this fixture, with some degree of antagonism on the previous occasion.”
He added: “Perhaps his anger hadn’t subsided from their exchange moments before at the pitchside. Perhaps the temptation was too great.”
Mr Barton, who is now Bristol Rovers manager, denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The trial continues