Teams take the knee before PSG win resumed game
PARIS Saint-germain and Istanbul Basaksehir sent a powerful anti-racism message before their rescheduled Champions League match at Parc des Princes as their players all took a knee.
The Group H fixture was halted on Tuesday night after 13 minutes, with both sets of players walking off the pitch 10 minutes later with the score at 0-0 after the fourth official, Romanian Sebastian Coltescu, was accused of using a racist term towards Basaksehir assistant manager Pierre Webo.
Webo, who had been sent off amid the incident on Tuesday, was allowed to take his place on the away bench, with his red card suspended while Uefa investigates what happened.
The governing body has announced the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to look into the events and has said it will impose “appropriate sanctions” if the official is found guilty.
A new set of officials were in charge for the continuation last night, with Dutchman Danny Makkelie appointed as referee.
Both sets of players and the officials, who all took a knee around the centre circle during the Champions League anthem, wore “no to racism” t-shirts in the warm-up, while anti-racism banners were placed in the stands.
PSG, assured of qualification after Manchester United’s defeat by RB Leipzig in Germany on Tuesday night, won the group with a comprehensive 5-1 victory.
Neymar scored a hat-trick and Kylian Mbappe netted twice, with Mehmet Topal getting a consolation for the Turkish champions.
PSG had to survive a couple of early scares before taking the lead with 21 minutes on the clock through a wonderful strike from Neymar, knocking the ball through a defenders legs before curling his shot into the top corner of the net.
Neymar, clearly in the mood, doubled his side’s advantage after 37 minutes after he was put through by Mbappe, who scored the third before half time from the penalty spot after Neymar was brought down.
Neymar completed his hattrick in the 50th minute, cutting in from the left and firing in a brilliant 20-yard drive. Basaksehir got a goal back after 57 minutes but Mbappe restored the four-goal lead just after the hour.