Cardiff City manager Neil Harris has said he's got 'no complaints about passion' after Callum Paterson and Leandro Bacuna were involved in an altercation after last night's defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

Both teams have dreams of a top-six finish this season, but it was Forest who looked like the promotion-chasing team last night, taking all-three points from what was a woeful game of football.

There was plenty of shots throughout but the quality was poor, and Forest's fate was sealed by Tiago Silva shortly after half-time. Cardiff were boring last night, toothless and seemingly unwilling until the 80th-minute, but their poor performance was overshadowed by an on-pitch incident after the game.

Cardiff players Leandro Bacuna and Callum Paterson were involved in a heated altercation following full-time, where Bacuna was pictured with his hand around Paterson's throat.

Speaking to the BBC after the game, Harris was asked about the incident:

"I've got no complaint at all about passion. I played like that, I manage like that, I like personality. I like character, I like a winning mentality and if there is an argument at full-time then it will boil down to the fact we didn't win the game.

"In the heat of the moment, I've got no problem with that as long as the heat of the moment is dealt with, which it was, I saw that it was.

"In the modern world we just have to be careful doing it in public, out on the pitch. It could be seen as something more major than what it is. They are two good lads."

The players were quickly separated by teammates, but it's sent a negative message out to the fans that perhaps the players aren't as happy as they should be.

Harris though remains coy on the situation and believes it's water under the bridge, denying any further differences between the two:

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"Pato and Leo have come into the changing room cuddling through the door," added Harris. "I've not spoken to the players about it. I've seen enough to see them come in cuddling, sitting next to each other in the changing room and one pat the other on the leg as they walk past.

"They weren't smiling, but understanding the frustration. It's a passionate game and they are passionate players. (Is there an) underlying issue? No. Overflow into the changing room? Not at all."

The incident really summed up what a was poor night for Cardiff. From the tactics to the delivery, to their uninspiring fightback late on, Cardiff looked nothing like a team sitting just outside the top-six last night, and clearly that frustration got the better of two players.

The verdict

From the footage and the images, Bacuna is clearly the aggressor. Fans were saying that Paterson was frustrated with Bacuna towards the end of the game because Bacuna, with around 30-seconds to play, failed to send the ball long.

Whatever the issue, Harris, being an ex-Millwall man, seemingly has no issue with what he calls 'passion'. Nevertheless, it sends the wrong kind of message to fans, who witnessed arguably Harris' worst home game in charge last night.