Pedro Neto has apologised for pushing a ball boy to the ground during Chelsea’s Champions League defeat by Paris St Germain.
The incident occurred in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes, with Liam Rosenior’s side trailing 4-2 and seeking a late response.
PSG players reacted angrily after Neto wrestled the ball from the youngster, leaving him on the turf and sparking a melee.
The Portuguese winger later spoke to TNT Sports and apologised for his actions.
“I want to come out to say the situation that happened on the pitch, I want to apologise to the ball boy,” the 26-year-old said.
“I already spoke with him. With the emotions of the game, we were losing, I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push and I saw that I hurt him in a sort of way.
“I’m not like this. I went there to apologise, I gave him my shirt as well. That cannot happen, so I’m really, really sorry about that.”
Neto escaped without any punishment from the referee, and head coach Rosenior also apologised in his post-match press conference.
“If there was anything from our side that was wrong or out of order, I apologise on behalf of the club,” he said.
The incident reminded many fans of Eden Hazard kicking Swansea ball boy Charlie Morgan during the second leg of a League Cup semi-final in 2013. Hazard was sent off for kicking the teenager after he tried to retrieve the ball in his side’s loss to eventual winners Swansea.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has taken the blame for his side’s defeat to PSG in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, explaining that he asked his team “to play a certain way” in Paris.
The Blues fell to a 5-2 loss to the Champions League holders at the Parc des Princes after a late collapse saw them concede three goals in 20 minutes, and it was a mistake from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen that handed Vitinha PSG’s third goal.
The Blues ‘keeper tried to pass out from inside his own area but it was intercepted before Vitinha lobbed him to make it 3-2, and from there Chelsea conceded two more to leave themselves with a mountain to climb in next week’s second leg.
