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Champions League

PSG v Istanbul Basaksehir suspended: what was said before players walked off

The fourth official, Sebastian Coltescu, referred to the Istanbul Basaksehir assistance coach Pierre Webó as "The black one over there".

Istanbul Basaksehir's Turkish coach Okan Buruk (C) looks on as he leaves the pitch after the game was suspended amid allegations of racism by one of the match officials during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between Paris Saint-Germa
FRANCK FIFEAFP

TV cameras picked up the dialogue in the run-up to the players abandoning the pitch in protest at racist comments from the fourth official, Sebastian Coltescu, about Istanbul Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webó.

Sebastian Coltescu: The black one over there. Go and check who he is. The black one over there, it's not possible to act like that.

Webó: Why did you say black? Why did you say black?

Coltescu: We speak Romanian between us.

Demba Ba, Basaksehir player: You never say ‘this white guy’, you say: ‘these guys.' So, listen to me, why when you mention a black guy do you have to say ‘this black guy?’” why the official said "this black guy."

Mbappé, PSG player: If the fourth official said that, he has to go.

Okan Buruk, Basaksehir coach: He said nothing. Your assistant said black, and you sent him off.

Coltescu: In Romania, black is a reference to the colour of the skin, a black player, and among us we speak Romanian.

Hategan, match referee, to Leonardo, PSG sporting director: We'll take 10 minutes, we'll stop the match and go to the dressing room, because this is a special case. Then we'll carry on, if they want to.

Match to be played on Wednesday evening

The match was not restarted on Tuesday night, with the Basaksehir players unhappy that the fourth official was still to be involved in the game, although moved to the VAR room. UEFA finally decided to play the remainder of the match on Wednesday night, with the action starting at 18:55 CET. The game will restart in the 14th minute.