'He started all this' - Alexis Mac Allister speaks out on Argentina 'anger' with Raphinha

Alexis Mac Allister of Argentina (R) battles for the ball with Raphinha Dias of Brazil

Alexis Mac Allister has attempted to play peacemaker after Argentina and Brazil came to blows on Tuesday night.

The Liverpool midfielder was on the scoresheet as the reigning world champions ran out emphatic 4-1 victors.

Argentina were angry with Raphinha ahead of the game following X-rated comments from the Barcelona star, with a number of their squad admitting it motivated them to victory.

Speaking to Brazilian legend Romario ahead of the game, the Brazil forward declared:

Raphinha

"We are going to beat them up on and off the pitch if necessary. I am going to score. They can s*** themselves! In Argentina, you have to hit them, it hurts! They're b*******."

Argentina’s players then clashed with Raphinha during proceedings, taking issue with an ill-timed challenge from the Brazilian in the first half.

The former Leeds United needed to be ushered away by his team-mates after being surrounded by opposing players

Mac Allister has now attempted to play down the whole episode, revealing that Raphinha claimed his comments had been lost in translation.

Mac Allister

“Very happy, very happy because the team played a very good game,” he said in the mixed zone after the final whistle. “I think we were able to win in every aspect of the game.”

“It obviously feels very good, especially because of everything that was said before the game.”

“There was some discussion on the pitch. He tried to explain that maybe the translation wasn’t the best. Honestly, I don’t know Portuguese.

“I think Ota (Nicolas Otamendi), told him that he started all this, all this anger that wasn’t necessary, and he said that maybe the translation wasn’t the best.

“But well, I don’t, I don’t know why… The translator got to him! And well, I don’t know Portuguese, I didn’t see the video, or anything.”