Felipe Melo denounced for intimidating a Botafogo minor

A mother has reported Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo of Fluminense for intimidating her underage son after he told the player that he was a Botafogo fan, Brazilian police said on Wednesday.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro said in a note that it will take statements from those involved and will take steps to clarify the facts, recorded in a police station in Barra da Tijuca, a neighbourhood of the Fluminense capital.

The complaint states that Melo, 41, behaved "aggressively" after the young man, a teenage neighbour of his in a luxury housing estate, confessed to him that he supports Botafogo.

The episode occurred on Sunday night, when the 15-year-old went down to walk his dogs and met Melo, who asked him what team he was from. The boy replied that he was a Botafogo fan and the controversial former Inter Milan player reacted belligerently.

"My son had to take a few steps back. He asked him if he was making him look like a fool or a madman. (Melo) had to be restrained by another man, who feared physical aggression," said Vanessa Cruz, the youngster's mother, in statements reported by 'Ge'.

Melo denied the accusations in a statement and said he will take legal action, as the facts narrated are "not true".