Neymar has called the decision to give Manchester United a late penalty against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night “a disgrace” and said that the VAR officials in charge “knew nothing about football”.
The 27-year-old, who missed the tie because of injury, was incensed after officials awarded United a spot-kick for a handball by Presnel Kimpembe deep into stoppage time, which Marcus Rashford then coolly converted to send the Premier League side through to the quarter-finals.
“This is a disgrace, they put four people who know nothing about football in charge of looking at the replay for VAR,” the Brazilian wrote on Instagram. “It’s just not possible!!! How is a guy going to hold his hand behind his back. Go fuck yourselves.”
PSG had won the first leg 2-0 but found themselves out of the competition on away goals after the tie finished 3-3. The exit, however devastating, will not lead to a kneejerk reaction to fire coach Thomas Tuchel, club president Nasser al-Khelaifi said after the game.
“I’m very disappointed with the result and the game. I don’t understand how we lost,” he said. “We gave them everything to win. It was easy for them. I don’t understand.”
PSG appointed Tuchel in May in the hope the uncompromising German would further their quest for European glory, and Al-Khelaifi said the club would not take any decisions over his future in the heat of the moment.
“I trust the coach … but it’s not because we lose a match that we have to act now. We must make decisions with a cool head but this is not the moment. We want to calm down.”
The defender Thiago Silva asked the club’s fans for forgiveness. “It’s difficult to speak. It’s a shame,” he said. “We were on a good run and yet again it ends here. That’s football. Nothing worked today. I ask our fans to forgive us.”
