Pedro Neto has apologised after pushing a ball boy during Chelsea 5-2 loss to Paris Saint‑Germain in their Champions League last-16 first-leg meeting at Parc des Princes.
Pedro Neto has apologised after pushing a ball boy during Chelsea 5-2 loss to Paris Saint‑Germain in their Champions League last-16 first-leg meeting at Parc des Princes.
The incident happened deep into stoppage time when the winger tried to retrieve the ball quickly while his team were trailing. In the process he pushed the young ball boy, who fell backwards onto a chair. The moment triggered a confrontation involving players from both sides.
Speaking afterwards to TNT Sports, Neto said he had already apologised personally to the youngster. He explained that frustration during the match led him to react poorly while trying to restart play as quickly as possible.
The Portugal international admitted the situation occurred in the heat of the moment and insisted that such behaviour is not typical for him. Neto added that he repeatedly said sorry and handed the ball boy his match shirt as a gesture of regret.
Neto also revealed that a language barrier initially made the conversation difficult, as he does not speak French fluently. His Portugal team-mate Vitinha helped explain the situation to the ball boy and reassured him that Neto did not intend to act aggressively.
According to Neto, the exchange ended on a positive note, with the youngster eventually laughing about the incident. The Chelsea player said he apologised numerous times and believed the matter had been resolved between them.
It remains uncertain whether UEFA will take disciplinary action over the moment. The push came during a difficult period late in the game as Chelsea’s performance began to unravel.
The closing stages of the match were marked by rising tensions, culminating in the large confrontation that followed the ball-boy incident.
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior also addressed the situation, saying he had not yet reviewed the footage but offered an apology if anyone from his team behaved improperly. He noted that Neto had already taken responsibility publicly.
Frustrations continued after the final whistle when goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen initially attempted to head straight to the dressing room. The Dane had started ahead of Robert Sanchez and had made an error that allowed PSG to take the lead again during the match.
Sanchez persuaded Jorgensen to return to the pitch and acknowledge the travelling Chelsea supporters. Rosenior later said the goalkeeper admitted his mistake to teammates inside the dressing room.
Two late strikes from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ultimately widened the scoreline and highlighted Chelsea’s loss of focus in the closing stages. Rosenior said the final 15 to 20 minutes were chaotic and acknowledged that he must help the team remain composed in difficult moments.
He stressed that the squad must react better when setbacks occur, warning that they will struggle to reach their potential unless they maintain calm under pressure. Chelsea now turn their attention to upcoming fixtures, hosting PSG in the return leg at Stamford Bridge after welcoming Newcastle United F.C. in the Premier League.
