Ademola Lookman had to be separated from Ivan Juric, his Atalanta manager, after an angry exchange on Wednesday night.
Former Everton winger Lookman and ex-Southampton manager Juric were visibly frustrated on the touchline.
Juric substituted Lookman in the 75th minute of Atalanta’s Champions League match against Marseille.
Lookman appeared to say something to his boss as he walked past him, prompting Juric to turn and grab him by the arm, while responding angrily.
A member of Atalanta staff intervened to separate Lookman and Juric.
Atalanta eventually beat Marseille 1-0 with an 89th-minute winner from Lazar Samardzic.
Lookman represented Charlton Athletic, Fulham and Leicester City as well as Everton before leaving for Italy. Juric managed Southampton as they got relegated from the Premier League last year, lasting just 107 days in the job.
Lookman has endured a series of spats with Atalanta this year.
His former manager Gian Piero Gasperini criticised him as “one of the worst penalty takers I have ever seen” after he missed from the spot in the Champions League against Club Brugge.
“He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them,” Gasperini said in February.
Lookman hit back via social media calling Gasperini’s comments “disrespectful.”
The Nigeria winger’s attempts to leave Atalanta this summer were thwarted when the club rejected the advances of Italian rivals Inter.
He posted a remarkable statement to social media in the summer which read: “There have been numerous clubs approach Atalanta in the past and I have previously always stayed loyal.
“However, myself and the ownership of the club have been in agreement that now is the right time and the club were clear with me that if a fair offer came in they would allow me to move.
“Despite now receiving an offer in alignment to what I believe had been discussed sadly the club are blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand.
“As a result and after many months of broken promises and what I feel has been poor treatment towards me as both a human being and as a professional footballer, sadly I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough. I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request.”
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But Inter ended their pursuit of Lookman, and he remained at Atalanta, who are 11th in Serie A.
His bust-up with Juric on the sidelines in Bergamo is the latest chapter in his stay with the club which began three years ago.
