Castellanos spitting claim overshadows West Ham’s Millwall derby draw

Millwall vs West Ham ended 2-2, but the day’s main talking point became an allegation involving Filip Marschall. The Millwall goalkeeper claimed Taty Castellanos spat at him during the match.

The incident was reported to have happened in the 65th minute, with Millwall leading 2-0 at the time. Marschall waited with the ball at his feet before being closed down, and TV footage appeared to show him indicating what he said was spittle on his shirt.

The allegation after TV clips

After the game, broadcasters were told Millwall had lodged a complaint with the match officials. Millwall boss Alex Neil and West Ham counterpart Nuno Espírito Santo both said they hadn’t seen the flashpoint, which occurred on the far side of the pitch away from the dugouts.

Neil said he hadn’t asked Marschall about it, but noted there would be footage either way, adding that he’d be surprised if an accusation were made without anything behind it. He also referenced the fourth official relaying that there had been an allegation.

Nuno acknowledged the claim, saying he hadn’t seen the images and hadn’t spoken directly with Castellanos, and that he would look at the footage before going further.

The comeback still mattered

Sportingly, West Ham’s character show wasn’t ignored: they hauled themselves back from two goals down to secure the derby draw. Nuno later pointed to a tough start, an intense atmosphere, and the need to handle physicality better, while also stressing the international break will help them work on defensive issues linked to both Millwall goals.

He highlighted the concern about goals conceded from throw-ins, and framed the result as positive despite fans not getting the exact outcome they wanted. Source: BBC Sport.