Ten-man PSG eliminate Chelsea
Chelsea went out of the Champions League in extraordinary fashion in extra time, and there will be little sorrow for their departure outside Stamford Bridge. Instead, there will just be huge admiration for the way Paris Saint-Germain responded valiantly to Bjorn Kuipers’ nonsensical 31st-minute dismissal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a decision taken when surrounded and hounded by Chelsea players.
PSG performed superbly without Ibrahimovic, responding to Gary Cahill’s driven goal with David Luiz’s headed equaliser against his old club to force extra time when Eden Hazard scored from the spot. But then came Thiago Silva, heading in. With Manchester City and Arsenal facing hugely difficult away legs next week, the Premier League involvement could be coming to a close in the round of 16.
It had been a really good game until Kuiper’s ridiculous decision to send off Ibrahimovic and then ignore offences wrought on Diego Costa almost out of embarrassment. When Ibrahimovic slid in to contest a 50-50 with Oscar, the Swede actually tried to pull out of the tackle.
Oscar continued, his right foot catching Ibrahimovic, whose momentum sent the Brazilian spinning around on the pitch.
A simple replay would have shown Kuipers what had occurred. The Dutchman, whose country has been trialling video technology, is an experienced referee who oversaw the 2014 Champions League final as well as Chelsea’s 2013 Europa League success. But this was poor. He was given no help by the assistant referee or the additional assistant referee, Michel Platini’s glorified mascot behind the goal.
Not since Tom Henning Ovrebo was in town, denying Chelsea four good penalty shouts and sending Didier Drogba into meltdown against Barcelona in 2009, has the Bridge witnessed such a belowpar refereeing performance in Europe.
It was impossible to escape the suspicion that Kuipers was influenced by the Chelsea players swarming around him. John Terry ran the race to be first to complain, yet as captain he has the right to intercede, to make his team’s point. But he was far too forceful, almost demanding Kuipers reach into his top pocket for the red.
Kuipers was surrounded by blue. There was soon a nine-strong chorus line chanting for retribution. Cesc Fabregas joined Eden Hazard and Ramires to one side of Kuipers. Gary Cahill was at the back, in the bass section. Terry was conducting the protests in front of Kuipers. Diego Costa was on the other side of the referee, with the very vocal Cesar Azpilicueta and Nemanja Matic. Branislav Ivanovic was slightly late to join the barracking brigade. The only Chelsea players not involved in the manic serenading of Kuipers were Thibaut Courtois and the prostrate Oscar.
As nine angry men made their point, Kuipers duly punished Ibrahimovic, whose fourth red card took him alongside Edgar Davids as most-dismissed player in Champions League history. Jeremy Clarkson was the most famous suspended person at the Bridge until Ibrahimovic departed.
Ibrahimovic rarely enjoys much luck against English defences, barring a brief purple patch against Arsenal and shredding England in Stockholm, but the Swede did not deserve the walk of shame.