Chelsea: What punishment could Pedro Neto face for pushing ball boy? | OneFootball

UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Blues winger after incident in PSG loss

That act led to a confrontation between both sets of players, requiring referee Alejandro Hernandez to step in and diffuse the situation.

After the match, Neto apologised to the ball boy and gave him his shirt. He also issued an apology when speaking to the media.

On Thursday, UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Neto, who assisted Enzo Fernandez for Chelsea’s second goal on an otherwise grim night for the Blues at the Parc des Princes.

UEFA’s statement read: “Disciplinary proceedings have been instigated against Chelsea player Pedro Lomba Neto for unsporting behaviour in accordance with Article 15(1)(a)(v) of UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. UEFA’s disciplinary bodies will take a decision on this case in due course.”

What punishment could Pedro Neto face for pushing ball boy?

While Neto escaped without any punishment in-game after a VAR check for a potential red card, he could now face retrospective action.

There is no specified UEFA sanction for situations such as this, but it is understood that a one-game ban would be the likeliest punishment if European football’s governing body do deem him guilty of “unsporting behaviour”.

A timescale — including whether UEFA could punish the 26-year-old before Tuesday’s last-16 second leg against PSG at Stamford Bridge — is unknown. UEFA stated merely that an outcome could be expected “in due course”.

Speaking about the incident on TNT Sports after the game, Neto said: "I want to apologise to the ball boy. I have already spoken to him.

"We were losing and in the emotion of the game I wanted to get the ball fast and I gave him a little push.

"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.

"My French is not very good, and [Portugal team-mate] 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."