Former AC Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia has now confirmed reports he came to blows with Daniele Bonera on the team bus last season, despite playing the incident down at the time.
The incident occurred while the team were waiting to leave the club's headquarters where they had been present for its official opening. Amelia noticed a group of fans waiting for autographs and he ordered his teammates to get off the bus and oblige.
When they got back on the bus, he attacked Bonera, and claims the 33-year-old defender "deserved it."
Amelia told Gold TV: ""A few months ago, we were on the team bus and there were lots of fans around. Some of us didn't want to get off to greet them so I said: 'Come on lads, let's not joke about it -- there are people here who have taken a day off work to come and see us.'
"The club bosses forced the big-name players to get off the bus. Let's not forget also it was a ridiculous season for Milan. After getting back on the bus, somebody was joking around, and with one of them -- Bonera -- I raised my hands.
"I've known Daniele for 20 years, but on this occasion, he deserved it."
Amelia has since signed on for amateur club Rocca Priora, admitting he turned down some offers other players might not have been able to refuse to effectively end his professional playing career at the age of 32.
"I had plenty of offers," he said. "Some of them I'd say 99 percent of players would not have been able to turn down, but I'm part of that other one percent. I don't like some of the ways negotiations work -- there are too many people involved."
He would only have accepted one offer, but that never arrived, despite his own insistence.
"I've tried a hundred times to get a return to Roma," he added. "I called the club bosses this season again, but they already have plenty of goalkeepers so nothing came of it."
