• Ex-Chelsea manager’s interpreter fought with security guard
• Saudi Gazette claims official had tried to kick the referee

The interpreter of former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been banned from football for five years for fighting with a Saudi security guard at an Asian Champions League match last month.

Marcelo Santos, who was also fined £14,000, was acting as Scolari’s interpreter during Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor’s 1-1 draw with Saudi club Al Ittihad in Jeddah on 14 April.

Santos was punished for “violating Article 70 of the AFC Champions League 2010 Regulations”, which deals with violence by players and officials, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on its website.

Portuguese media reported that Santos had attacked a pitch-side security guard after claiming he was racially insulted, and was subsequently detained in the Saudi city.

The Saudi Gazette match report said the incident happened after “an angry Uzbek official” had tried to “kick the referee in the leg”, and a security guard intervened to protect the match official.

The wealthy Uzbek club, who have former Brazil striker Rivaldo on their books, were also fined £1,400 for having “unauthorised officials on the substitutes bench”, and for Scolari’s failure to attend the post-match press conference.

Luiz Felipe ScolariChelseaguardian.co.uk