UEFA set to open disciplinary investigation against Pedro Neto after controversial incident in Chelsea’s UCL defeat to PSG

Things have gone from bad to worse for Chelsea and Pedro Neto. (Image credits – Wikipedia, licence details)

UEFA has confirmed that it is set to take disciplinary proceedings against Pedro Neto following a controversial incident with a ball boy during Chelsea's humiliating 5-2 loss against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League RO16. It went from bad to worse for the Blues’ as they were not only humiliated by the defending champions but were also a big part of controversy when Neto appeared to have pushed a ball boy while attempting to retrieve the ball during the game.

This incident will now be reviewed by UEFA’s disciplinary committee, which is set to make the final verdict about whether the Portuguese international breached the rules of the game or not. The winger could face trouble if he is found guilty. This incident took place late in the game when the Blues were desperate to score a goal. As the ball went out, and time was running out for the visitors, Neto rushed to the touchline to take the ball quickly from the ball boy and restart the play quickly. However, the ball boy also appeared to delay in returning the ball, which prompted Neto to react as his emotions took over.

The footage that went viral across social media showed the Portuguese clearly pushing the ball boy aside while he grabbed the ball. Although it didn't seem too harsh, this act from the Portuguese winger drew criticism, especially from the Paris Saint-Germain fans and the rival fans in England. Plenty of fans and pundits across social media have labelled this act as disgraceful. Players from both teams got involved in a scuffle following this heated moment, and match officials had to get involved to stop the scene from escalating.

This case will now be assessed by UEFA under their regulations related to improper conduct by players with the match officials. While the investigation is going on, the Portuguese winger could be imposed with a hefty fine, a warning with a fine or, if the action is deemed too serious, he could also face suspension from all UEFA competitions for a few games. The severity of the punishment would depend on the interpretation of the organisation’s disciplinary committee – whether it is deemed too aggressive or just a frustrating moment from the lad. In general, the organisation does take these incidents seriously, as it views ball boys as individuals who are also equally a part of the beautiful game.

The incident took place as it was a high stakes clash between the defending UCL champions and the CWC champions, and the whole pre match buzz was regarding Paris Saint-Germain aiming to take revenge for the Club World Cup final defeat in the United States. Chelsea were facing a challenging situation in the end trailing behind by three goals as they kept pushing for a late goal to keep some hopes alive in the second leg. These fixtures always carry huge pressure and expectations from the fans which urges players to restart play as soon as possible especially when their team is on the losing end.

Ball boys are usually appointed by the home side, and though they are instructed to be neutral, ball boy delays have taken place in the past as well, especially in such high-stakes knockout clashes in the Champions League. Players often feel that ball boys delay the game intentionally to waste time on the clock favouring the home side, which brings out the frustration at times such as this incident involving Pedro Neto.

The Portuguese winger apologised for his behaviour following the game in a post-game interview and blamed himself for getting caught up in the heat of the game.

"I'm not like this. It was in the heat of the moment, and I want to apologise. I gave him my shirt. I'm really sorry about it – I feel I have to apologise to him," said Neto. (sic)

He added, "My French is not very good, and [Portugal teammate] Vitinha came over and said to him I was not like this. At the end he [the ball boy] laughed, and I gave him my shirt and said 'sorry' about 35 times. He could see what had happened and was happy with the situation.” (sic)

The Chelsea winger has also received an additional ban along with a fine following his red card against Arsenal in the beginning of the month. The 26-year-old was sent off in the Premier League game against the Gunners and served his suspension of one game against Aston Villa. However, he has been issued with a further one-game ban and a fine of £70,000 after he was charged with misconduct by the English Football Association. He is set to miss Chelsea's next game against Newcastle at home on Saturday.

In a statement, the FA said: "It was alleged that the player acted in an improper manner by failing to leave the pitch promptly and/or using abusive words towards the match official(s) following his dismissal in the 70th minute.” (sic)

It further read, "Pedro Neto subsequently admitted to the charge against him. An independent regulatory commission imposed these sanctions following a hearing, and the written reasons for its decisions will be published in due course.” (sic)