Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has said he was "absolutely furious" at the position he was placed in following an incident involving Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik and a supporter during Saturday's Championship fixture at Fratton Park, after discovering that the account he was initially given did not match what he has since seen on footage.

What Mousinho was told, and what he now believes

Bielik was involved in a physical altercation with a fan as he attempted to retrieve the ball from the crowd late in the second half of Portsmouth's victory over Cardiff. Hampshire Police subsequently confirmed it had launched an investigation into an incident "in which a teenage boy was reportedly the victim of a common assault".

In his post-match comments, Mousinho apologised to Cardiff City players and condemned the behaviour of supporters involved. He has now made clear that those remarks were based entirely on the account he received at the time, not on anything he witnessed himself.

"I've now seen the footage and my comments post-match were entirely based off what I was told," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent. "When the altercation kicked off I couldn't see it from where I was myself. The referee then spoke to us and his words at the time were very clear that he had seen the incident in its entirety."

The referee's reported version of events was that Bielik was slapped by one fan as he went to collect the ball, while a second fan threw the ball at Cardiff's Perry Ng. Mousinho's post-match comments, drawn from that account, subsequently drew a negative reaction from Portsmouth's own fanbase. Several supporters present in the ground indicated they believed the sequence of events was different from what the referee had described.

Mousinho seeks answers from referees' association

"My first reaction having seen it back was that I was absolutely furious having been put in that position," Mousinho said. "What actually transpired is something that I need to sort out between myself and the referees' association, which I'm trying to do."

He was careful to draw a firm line around the ongoing police matter. "On the incident itself there's an ongoing police investigation into assault of a minor, so I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on that," he added.

Pro Ref, the body that oversees officiating across the Premier League, EFL and Football Association competitions, has been contacted for comment.

The wider picture for both clubs

The controversy arrives at a delicate moment for both sides. Portsmouth's preparations for Saturday's home fixture against Charlton are now partly overshadowed by the fallout, while Cardiff must manage the impact on Bielik, one of their key midfield figures, at a point in the season where the Bluebirds are still searching for consistency.

For Mousinho, the priority will be to resolve the dispute over the referee's account through the proper channels and refocus his squad. He has been open throughout the season about the fine margins separating Portsmouth from where they want to be, and off-pitch distractions are precisely what a Championship squad in the middle of a demanding schedule can least afford.

One thing is certain: the incident has generated a level of scrutiny that neither club wanted, and with a police investigation ongoing, the story is far from over. How the referees' association responds to Mousinho's concerns could shape whether this escalates further or is quietly resolved away from the cameras. The head coach has been measured enough to hold his counsel on the assault allegation itself; whether he receives a satisfactory explanation from officialdom remains to be seen.

Frequently asked

What happened between Krystian Bielik and a Portsmouth fan?
Cardiff City defender Krystian Bielik was involved in a physical altercation with a supporter while retrieving the ball from the crowd late in Portsmouth's Championship win over Cardiff. Hampshire Police launched an investigation into an incident in which a teenage boy was reportedly the victim of a common assault.
Why did Mousinho apologise to Cardiff after the match?
Mousinho's post-match apology was based on the account he received at the time, including information from the referee. He has since seen footage and says that account did not accurately reflect what happened, leaving him angry at having been put in that position.
Is there a police investigation into the Bielik fan incident?
Yes. Hampshire Police confirmed it launched an investigation into an incident in which a teenage boy was reportedly the victim of a common assault. Mousinho has said he will not comment further on the incident itself while the investigation is ongoing.