PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir players WALK OFF during Champions League clash
PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir players WALK OFF during first half of Champions League clash amid allegations of racism towards Turkish side’s assistant manager by Romanian fourth official – with match in Paris set to resume without him
- PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir players walked off in the first half of their match
- Players accused fourth official of racially abusing Basaksehir’s assistant coach
- Pierre Webo was sent off before being allegedly called ‘n****’ by the official
- Fourth official Sebastian Coltescu was removed when the game restarted
- Demba Ba was livid while Neymar and Kylian Mbappe demanded an explanation
The Champions League clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir descended into chaos on Tuesday night after both sets of players walked off amid allegations of racism by the fourth official, Sebastian Coltescu.
The match was suspended midway through the first half after an incident on the touchline involving Pierre Webo, Basaksehir’s assistant manager.
Webo was sent off and then accused Coltescu of racism with footage from the incident appearing to show somebody say ‘n****’ when trying to identify the Cameroonian coach to the referee.
PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir players walked off as their match was suspended on Tuesday
Pierre Webo (R), Basaksehir’s assistant manager, was allegedly the victim of racial abuse
Footage from the incident appears to show somebody say ‘n****’ when trying to identify Webo
Fourth official Sebastian Coltescu was accused of making the racist remark on the touchline
Webo was apoplectic on the touchline and had to be restrained by other members of the coaching staff.
According to reports the match was due to restart at 10pm local time but PSG players were left waiting for the Turkish side in the tunnel.
Webo was shown a straight red card in the 16th minute and the players and staff from the Turkish side left the pitch after about 10 minutes of discussions with referee Ovidiu Hategan.
Former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba was at the forefront of the Turkish side’s protests before they left the pitch, demanding an explanation for his language from Coltescu.
Ba charged in the direction of Coltescu to question why he had used the phrase to identify Webo.
He said: ‘You never say “this white guy”, you say “this guy”, so why when you’re mentioning him… listen to me… why when you mention a black guy, why do you say “this black guy”.’
PSG players followed them down the tunnel with the game at Parc des Princes suspended at 0-0.
Former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba was left furious and confronted the officials
Both sets of players left the pitch and returned to the dressing room in a united protest
Within minutes of the incident, Basaksehir posted a picture of UEFA’s ‘No To Racism’ campaign
Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Marquinhos were all seen on the touchline in discussion with Coltescu.
Basaksehir coach Okan Buruk said ‘you are racist’ to Coltescu.
Within minutes of the incident, Basaksehir’s Twitter feed posted a picture of UEFA’s ‘No To Racism’ campaign.
Speaking during BT Sport’s Champions League coverage, Rio Ferdinand said: ‘We are at a disturbing tipping point.
‘Millwall, now this, in the same week, not a week goes by without an incident involving race, something needs to be done, the powers that be need to make a stand.
‘Showing unity [by the players] is a start, but it cannot be left to players.’
Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha told French station RMC: ‘What upsets me that the players are the (only) ones to take a stand.
‘Uefa didn’t… Now Uefa are making ultimatums about restarting the match… it’s like they’re in denial… there’s no sign they are ever going to take this problem seriously.’
