Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has avoided punishment after shoving a ball-boy in last week’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
UEFA has opted not to sanction the Portugal international having opened disciplinary proceedings against him for pushing a ball-boy off his chair while trying to retrieve the ball.
The incident occurred in the closing stages of the round of 16 first leg at Parc des Princes, which Chelsea lost 5-2.
UEFA has confirmed its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has decided to “warn Chelsea FC player Mr Pedro Lomba Neto for unsporting conduct.”
Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior welcomed UEFA’s decision at a press conference before Tuesday night’s return leg at Stamford Bridge.
“He’s apologised for the incident in Paris. There was no real bad intention, he just wanted to get on with the game. I think UEFA have made the right decision,” Rosenior said.
Neto revealed he apologised to the ball-boy after the first leg in a post-match interview on TNT Sports.
“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,” Neto said.
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“My French is not very good, and Vitinha came over and said to him I was not like this.
“At the end [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.”
