Chelsea: Pedro Neto issues apology to PSG ballboy after incident in Champions League defeat

Winger was caught in controversy in humbling Chelsea loss

Pedro Neto has issued an apology to the Paris Saint-Germain ballboy after an altercation during Chelsea’s Champions League defeat at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

The Portuguese international was looking to get the ball back in play quickly with the Blues trailing in the French capital, but was overzealous in his attempts to restart play, pushing a ballboy as he sought to reclaim the ball.

It led to a red card check from VAR for the incident, although it was waved away by the officials as Liam Rosenior’s side slumped to a 5-2 defeat after a late collapse.

Neto had assisted Chelsea’s equaliser to make it 2-2 in the early stages of the second half, squaring for Enzo Fernandez after bursting onto a loose ball down the left flank.

The winger apologised immediately to the ballboy after the incident, and reaffirmed his feelings on TNT Sports afterwards.

“I want to come out and apologise for what happened on the pitch,” he said.

“I’ve spoken with the ballboy. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push. I saw that I hurt him and I am sorry, as I’m not like this; Vitinha told him that I am not like that.

“In the heat of the moment, I’d like to apologise and I gave him my shirt as well. That cannot happen. I’m really, really sorry about that.

“I have to apologise to him. In the heat of the moment, with all the emotions in football, I wanted to get the ball fast, I gave him a push, and I wanted to say sorry to him. He was happy that I gave him the shirt and said sorry like, 35 times.”

Pushed: PSG ballboy

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Chelsea have a three-goal deficit hanging over them as they return to Stamford Bridge for the second leg next week.

Bradley Barcola slammed in an early opener before Malo Gusto’s equaliser, but Ousmane Dembele struck to reassert the holders’ lead.

Fernandez levelled after the break before an error from Filip Jorgensen allowed Vitinha to loft the ball over the visiting goalkeeper, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored two sumptuous goals late on to add further gloss to Paris’ cushion.

Rosenior’s men host Newcastle in a big game for their top-four hopes in the Premier League at the weekend, before their reverse fixture against the Ligue 1 champions on Tuesday.