A SHOW OF UNITY AFTER RACISM ROW
PARIS Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir sent a clear anti-racism message before resuming their Champions League tie last night, with the fourth official who sparked a player walk-off 24 hours earlier facing a potential ten-match ban.
The fixture at Parc des Princes was halted on Tuesday after 13 minutes, with both sets of players walking off the pitch ten minutes later with the game goalless after Romanian Sebastian Coltescu was accused of using a racist term towards Pierre Webo, the Basaksehir assistant manager.
In footage of the incident, Istanbul’s former Chelsea striker Ba is seen asking the official: ‘Why, when you mention a black guy, do you have to say this black guy?’
Webo, who had been sent off, took his place on the bench last night, with his red card suspended while Uefa investigates. The governing body said it will impose ‘appropriate sanctions’ if the official is found guilty.
A new set of officials were in charge for last night’s game, with Dutchman Danny Makkelie 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.
Coltescu, meanwhile, protested his innocence, telling a Romanian news outlet: ‘I just try to be good. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not racist. At least that’s what I hope.’ He is a topflight referee in Romania but is reportedly officiating in his final European campaign after being demoted by Fifa.
Former Liverpool star John Barnes came to his defence on Twitter, insisting the official did nothing wrong and was only fulfilling his duties of passing information on to the referee.
When told by one user on Twitter there are many ways to identify somebody without referring to their race, Barnes responded: ‘If they are the ONLY white person in a room or group... THEY ARE... how else would YOU describe the ONLY white person or BLACK person in a group?’
When play restarted, PSG – assured of qualification after Manchester United’s loss at RB Leipzig – won thanks to Neymar’s hat-trick and a Kylian Mbappe brace. Mehmet Topal replied.