England manager Gareth Southgate's claims of racist abuse by Bulgaria fans is "absolutely not true", according to a local journalist during Monday evening's post-match press conference.
Southgate was praising the performance of referee Ivan Bebek and the Croatian's assistants during an "incredibly difficult game".
The journalist appeared to disagree with Southgate's description of the match, which was twice halted during to the severity of racist abuse from the home crowd.
Southgate's answer was translated into Bulgarian, prompting the unnamed journalist to shout out: "This is absolutely not true.
"There was no difficult situation under any circumstances. What are you talking about? It's an exaggeration!"
He then finished by claiming "the game was so friendly.
The scenes in Sofia have prompted a fierce reaction, with anti-racism body Kick it Out demanding Uefa hit Bulgaria with a points deduction or tournament expulsion.
Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane has questioned the protocals put in place by European football's governing body.
