"Yes, I punched him on the pitch and he fell unconscious, but I never pulled a knife"

Belhanda confirmed punching Bjarnason during 2022 training but denied wielding a knife, saying the Icelandic player provoked him with repeated elbows.

Younès Belhanda responded to violence allegations from former Adana Demirspor teammate Birkir Bjarnason on a French radio show. Belhanda confirmed he punched Bjarnason during a training session in 2022, knocking him unconscious, but denied the Icelandic player's claim that he threatened him with a knife afterward.

Belhanda said Bjarnason repeatedly elbowed him during training, prompting the punch. "He fell to the ground. After that, he made a big fuss, started calling the press," Belhanda said. He added that he later offered to let Bjarnason hit him back as an apology, but insisted the player apologize to him before returning to the team.

Bjarnason had previously detailed the incident on an Icelandic podcast, claiming Belhanda waited for him with a knife when they returned to the dressing room after training.