Tensions flared after the final whistle of the Club World Cup final on Sunday as Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma were seen confronting Chelsea forward João Pedro in a post-match scuffle.
Chelsea stunned PSG with a 3-0 victory, netting all three goals in the first half to clinch the title. The match grew increasingly heated, with PSG’s João Neves shown a red card for dragging Marc Cucurella down by his hair, while six yellow cards were also issued.
After the game, Enrique was spotted near the center circle, apparently pushing João Pedro in the throat area. Donnarumma also shoved the 23-year-old, causing him to fall. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, also Italian, intervened to pull Donnarumma away from the situation.
“This could have been avoided,” Enrique said through a translator. “As always, my intention was to separate the players and prevent things from escalating. There was a lot of pressure and tension, and many were involved in the pushing.”
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PSG defender Achraf Hakimi had earlier been seen gesturing toward João Pedro and Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos. João Pedro said he got involved to defend Santos.
“I saw players surrounding him,” he said. “Like any good Brazilian, I stepped in to protect a teammate. It got crowded and I ended up getting shoved. These things happen — some people just don’t know how to lose. Now it’s time to celebrate.”
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Maresca said he wasn’t fully aware of how the altercation began.
“I noticed something happening, but I’m not sure what exactly sparked it,” he said.
Source: Agency