According to The Guardian, UEFA has launched an investigation into allegations that an Israeli player spat at a member of the Republic of Ireland coaching staff during Sunday's heated Nations League match between the two sides.

Irish players bowed their heads in silence during the Israeli national anthem and refused to shake hands before the match.

UEFA confirmed that the referee's post-match report included an allegation that an incident occurred in or near the tunnel at halftime and noted that the matter would be subject to disciplinary investigation for potential player misconduct.

Witnesses reported that an Irish staff member, understood to be fitness coach Damien Doyle, claimed he was spat at by an Israeli player as the two teams walked into the tunnel at halftime.

A spokesperson for the Israel Football Association denied the reports, saying "nobody spat at the coach."

After the match, Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson said his team had faced multiple clear provocations during pre-match preparations and had tried to de-escalate the situation.

"There were a lot of these 'accidents' and we were smart enough to avoid them before things got out of hand," Hallgrímsson said. "I think they were trying to intimidate us and make us do something stupid. I really commend the players for how they controlled their emotions."

The investigation is likely to further inflame tensions between the two sides, a rivalry that has already made the two-legged Ireland-Israel tie a geopolitical focal point. Ireland had previously faced immense pressure from domestic fans to boycott the match and voted on whether to participate in the first leg, which was played in Hungary. The second leg, nominally Ireland's home match, was scheduled to be held in Bačka Topola due to what the FAI described as "operational challenges" making it impossible to safely host the match in Dublin.

Tensions between the two sides escalated during pre-match preparations. Additionally, two Israeli journalists were banned from attending the Ireland post-match press conference after UEFA determined they had "used the press conference for political purposes, bringing football into disrepute" and had displayed "inappropriate behavior" during and after the pre-match press conference.

Hallgrímsson has asked UEFA to separate Ireland and Israel in future draws. A UEFA spokesperson stated: "Whether certain teams are prevented from being drawn together depends on multiple factors, particularly whether the situation between the two countries poses structural security risks. UEFA handles each incident on a case-by-case basis very carefully, taking into account all facts and developments."

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