SAMUEL GIGOT was sent off for a late tackle on Neymar last night… but his boss Igor Tudor claims he didn’t even touch him.
Paris Saint-Germain hosted rivals Marseille in a feisty Classique at Parc des Princes.
The visitors went into the match reeling from last week’s shock home loss to Ajaccio which put a dent in their good start to the season.
Tudor’s side were a tough match for PSG, however, getting in their faces and looking to dominate possession.
But a cheap turnover by the under-par Amine Harit gifted PSG a golden opportunity to counter-attack on the stroke of half-time, with Neymar finishing off Kylian Mbappe’s pass to sweep the champions into the lead.
Marseille remained a threat in the second-half, but shot themselves in the foot with 20 minutes remaining.
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Gigot, who had replaced the injured Eric Bailly earlier in the second-half, absolutely flew into a challenge on Neymar in a position of little danger.
The Brazilian yelped in pain and curled up into a ball on the ground, with his pal Marquinhos subsequently booked for his role in the resulting 19-man melee between opposition players.
Referee Clement Turpin did not hesitate in flashing a red card at Gigot, with BT Sport analyst Clive Allen describing the challenge as “totally indisciplined” and “horrendous”.
While Gigot’s tackle was high and late, replays suggested that contact was actually minimal.
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After the match, Tudor said: “I didn’t see it, but I was told that he didn’t touch the player.
“I have to look at the pictures. If you give a red card because he touched him, that’s normal.
“But if it’s just to punish the intention, it’s a mistake.”
Marseille, featuring former Arsenal aces Matteo Guendouzi and Nuno Tavares, still tried to push for an equaliser with ten men, but were unable to break down PSG’s stubborn resistance.
The win saw Christophe Galtier’s side climb three points clear of surprise packages Lorient at the top of the table, and six ahead of fourth-placed Marseille.
After the match, Mbappe denied widespread reports that is unhappy and wants to leave in the winter transfer window.
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He said: “I have not asked to leave Paris Saint-Germain in January. I’m not furious with the club, it’s not true.”
Neymar, meanwhile, turned up to court in Barcelona this morning to stand trial on fraud and corruption charges.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
