Championship Player Strikes Opponent in the Face Amid Ugly Scenes During Friendly Match

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby punched an opponent after losing his cool during a friendly match against RCD Mallorca.

In a clip that quickly went viral, the 24-year-old Republic of Ireland international was seen confronting Mallorca player Samu Costa following a rough tackle during Saturday's behind-closed-doors match. After an exchange of words, Costa and Molumby went head to head, and when Costa appeared to raise an arm, Molumby responded by punching him and grappling with his opponent before stunned teammates intervened.

The incident occurred in the 40th minute, prompting the referee to end the first half early. Unsurprisingly, Molumby did not return for the second half.

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Despite the match being played behind closed doors at the Baggies' training base, the footage was widely circulated by a Spanish broadcast outlet. West Brom ultimately lost the match 1-0, with David Lopez scoring the winner midway through the second half.

Molumby initially joined West Brom on loan from Brighton in the summer of 2021 before making the move permanent a year later. The dynamic central midfielder has since made over 100 appearances for the Baggies, who are considered strong contenders for promotion in the Championship this coming season.

What on earth is West Brom’s Jayson Molumby doing?!
pic.twitter.com/hCJf2WEYOI

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) July 27, 2024

West Bromwich Albion fell short in the promotion race last season after losing to Southampton in the play-off semi-finals. In the aftermath, head coach Carlos Corberan acknowledged that significant work was needed over the summer.

"We know there is a lot that we need to address this summer," Corberan told BBC Radio WM. "We need to consider the number of players out of contract and the areas we need to improve and develop."

To strengthen their squad for the new Championship season, West Brom have made four new signings: Ousmane Diakite, Torbjørn Heggem, Joe Wildsmith, and Paddy McNair, all of whom have joined the team at the Hawthorns.