UEFA has launched a probe with a view to proceed with disciplinary measures against Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi and the club’s sporting director Leonardo on Thursday over the alleged furore that arose immediately after the team’s Champions League capitulation at Real Madrid.
UEFA confirmed the disciplinary cases had been opened without specifying the details.
Suffice it to say that the Qatari holds prominent positions on various international boards, ranging from being a member of UEFA’s executive committee and chairman of the influential European Club Association to being also the head of Doha-based broadcaster beIN Media Group — a key Champions League TV rights holder.
The disciplinary case also involves PSG’s sporting director Leonardo, in the wake of reports that Al-Khelaifi and his director both stormed off in a huff post-match in search of the match officials to protest their displeasure with refereeing decisions on Wednesday night.
PSG was beaten 3-1 in Madrid to exit the round of 16 with a 3-2 aggregate loss. The French side had led 1-0 from the first leg and Kylian Mbappe scored again in Madrid to give PSG a 2-0 aggregate lead that was wiped out by Karim Benzema scoring a hat trick.
And the two PSG directors were furious with the officials – particularly displeased about the first of Benzema’s three goals, with the team feeling the Frenchman should have been penalised for a foul on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the build-up.
A reporter who had been on the scene, Monica Marchante, described the incident as ‘frankly unpleasant’ when it happened, according to El Partidazo de COPE.
Reports from L’Equipe have taken an excerpt from the referees’ report sent by UEFA quoted by Onda Cero, Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo:
“Behaved aggressively and tried to enter the referee’s dressing room.
“When the referee asked them to leave, the president hit a piece of the assistant’s equipment, breaking it.”
The PSG president, along with sporting director Leonardo allegedly ended up barging into the wrong room and ended up coming face to face with Real Madrid delegate, Mejia Devila, instead.
According to Diario AS, an on-scene Madrid employee recorded the incident with his mobile phone, which caught the attention of Al-Khelaifi, who then hit out at the former’s phone while threatening:
“I’m going to kill you.’”
In the hope of resolving matters, PSG reportedly sent a protocol employee from the French club to apologise to the referees and Real Madrid o behalf of the PSG president.
The matter will now be referred to UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, who will make a decision in due course.