The PSG chiefs had to be removed from the tunnel
UEFA are reportedly investigating Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo after they had to be removed from the Santiago Bernabeu tunnel on Wednesday night.
Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo left the presidential box after the full-time whistle, shouting that the decision to allow Karim Benzema’s equaliser was “shameful” before making their way to the tunnel in search of the referee.
Although the pair were initially unable to find the officials, sources claim that once they had found the referee’s dressing room, they began to bang on the door. Security staff were required to remove the two PSG chiefs and calm the situation down.
PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi – a UEFA executive committee member – is now subject to UEFA disciplinary proceedings over what unfolded post-match at Real Madrid on Wednesday night
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) March 10, 2022
Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick – with his last two goals coming within seconds of each other – as the LaLiga side overturned a 1-0 first leg deficit to progress to the quarterfinals, winning 3-2 on aggregate.
PSG – who had taken the lead on the night through Kylian Mbappe – were furious with referee Danny Makkelie’s failure to blow for a foul on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the build-up to Madrid’s equaliser, insisting that Benzema had fouled the Italian shot-stopper prior to scoring.
However, Benzema – who overtook Alfredo Di Stéfano to become Madrid’s third all-time top goalscorer – insisted that he simply pressured Donnarumma and did ‘nothing wrong’.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told RMC Sport. “He took too long, I pressured him and he lost the ball.”
As a result of Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo’s actions in midweek, UEFA have opened proceedings against the pair, with a decision expected from the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body in due course.
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