Neymar hails perfect attitude of PSG and Basaksehir teams in race row Champions League tie

Paris Saint-Germain’s star striker Neymar paid tribute to the perfect attitude of the players who walked off the pitch during a Champions League match in protest over allegedly racist comments.

Neymar (right) and Kylian Mbappé scored all of Paris Saint-Germain's goals in the 5-1 cruise past Istanbul Basaksehir. REUTERS - CHARLES PLATIAU

The 28-year-old Brazilian spoke after he scored a hat trick in PSG’s 5-1 demolition of Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday night to claim top spot in Group H. Kylian Mbappé scored PSG's other two goals.

Feliz pelo empenho da equipe, grande vitória. Vamos seguir melhorando pra alcançar nossos objetivos !! ALLEZ PARIS pic.twitter.com/Nr2veJx8H5

— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) December 9, 2020

The match started on Tuesday night at the Parc des Princes but was interrupted in the 14th minute after Basaksehir players complained about language used by the fourth official Sebastian Coltescu to refer to their assistant coach Pierre Achille Webo.

Despite the efforts of match referee Ovidiu Hagetan and a Uefa match supervisor, Basaksehir refused to continue and PSG’s players walked off in solidarity. "What happened was unacceptable,” Neymar told French broadcast RMC Sport.

“In the times we live in we cannot accept differences being made like that about colour or race. It has no place in football, or in life, or in any sport, so our attitude was perfect."

Solidarity

Both sets of players warmed up for Wednesday night’s tie wearing T-shirts emblazoned with: “No to Racism” and huge banners were spread across an empty stand bearing the same logo and the shields of both clubs.

Coltescu and the other match officials were replaced by a new refereeing team headed by Danny Makkelie. They joined the players in the centre circle before kick-off and went down on one knee as a gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter racial justice campaign.

European football’s governing body Uefa, which organises the Champions League tournament, has vowed to hold a thorough investigation of the events which preceded Tuesday night’s unprecedented protest.

Support

"The fourth official used an unacceptable word to Pierre Achille Webo,”  said Basaksehir coach Okan Buruk.

“The referee should have dealt with the situation properly but didn't. We had to show that we were with Webo. Webo was upset. We all gave him our support, but it's someone else who should feel bad and that is the person who used the words. He is the guilty one.

"We have to show that we can all live together. Humanity is the most important thing.”

Basaksehir, who were playing in their first campaign in the Champions League, finished bottom of the pool while Wednesday night’s triumph allowed PSG to leapfrog RB Leipzig and secure first place. 

Leipzig assured their berth in the last 16 on Tuesday night with a 3-2 victory over Manchester United who will play in the last 32 of the Europa League.