PSG players claim referee Bjorn Kuipers told them to 'f*** off' in Champions League loss at Man City

ByMichael Hincks

Updated 05/05/2021 at 08:46 GMT

PSG were reduced to 10 men when 4-1 down on aggregate to Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals. After the second leg finished, Ander Herrera and Marco Verratti made the extraordinary claim that referee Bjorn Kuipers told some of PSG’s players to “f*** off” during the match at the Etihad Stadium.

Ander Herrera and Marco Verratti have accused referee Bjorn Kuipers of insulting Paris Saint-Germain’s players during their Champions League defeat to Manchester City.

PSG lost 2-0 in their semi-final second leg on Tuesday night to lose the tie 4-1 on aggregate.

Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring after 11 minutes, and once he doubled City’s lead on the night in the 63rd minute, PSG simply imploded.

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Angel Di Maria was shown a straight red for a petulant stamp on Fernandinho in the 69th minute, while Marco Verratti, Danilo Pereira and Presnel Kimpembe all picked up late bookings as PSG’s tackling became reckless.

Tensions clearly boiled over in the final 20 minutes, and afterwards Herrera and Verratti made the extraordinary claim that Kuipers told some of PSG’s players to “f*** off”.

Mauricio Pochettino (C) remonstrates with Referee Bjorn Kuipers

Image credit: Getty Images

Herrera told RMC, per France-based journalist Matt Spiro: “We talk about respect with referees... the referee tonight said f*** off to Leandro Paredes. If we say that we get a three-four match ban.”

Verratti added: “He said f*** you to me... I talk to referees a lot but I never say that or I get a 10-game ban.”

Mahrez told BT Sport afterwards: “They lost their nerve and started to kick us and after the red card it was more comfortable.”

City meanwhile put in an immense defensive display, blocking nine shots and leaving PSG without a shot on target in a match where they required at least two goals to have a chance of progressing.

Mahrez added: "You have to be solid and everybody has to be solid defensively and that's why we did. We didn't concede much and I think that's why we're in the final. It's good.

"We have another game on Saturday we need to be win to be league champions and then we'll concentrate on the Champions League final."

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