The statement by Leonardo, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) sports director, reveals his dissatisfaction with the refereeing in the Montpellier-PSG match, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Leonardo criticized Mr. Turpin’s decisions, particularly regarding a foul by the Montpellier attacker Charbonnier on Sakho and subsequent actions.
Leonardo expressed his concerns about the impact of certain decisions on important matches, stating that decisions should not be made so early in the game. He raised questions about the preparation and professionalism of referees and mentioned previous incidents involving PSG players.
In response, Louis Nicollin, the president of Montpellier, suggested that Leonardo might be frustrated because he expected PSG to win the match. He defended the referee’s decision not to expel Belhanda and cautioned against blaming refereeing decisions for the outcome.
The exchange reflects the tension and scrutiny often associated with high-stakes football matches and the differing perspectives of those involved.
