Thomas Meunier surprised the audience after the game lost by his PSG in Dortmund (2-1) in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. Warned at the end of the match for a jersey draw (87th), a gesture of anti-play often qualified as “useful error”, the Belgian will be suspended in the return match on March 11 for having accumulated the cards. But the right side admits that he was not aware of this risk.
"I didn't know I was threatened ... It annoys me. If I had known, I would not have made this mistake, "he said in the mixed zone after the meeting, comments reported by The Last Hour. A confession that questions how Meunier and PSG managed this possibility during the pre-match. According to our information, the internal organization must lead a member of the extended staff to warn the players concerned before the meetings. A disabling oversight in the case of Meunier, even if the latter could also have inquired on his side.
Verratti also hanging
What does the regulation say? A player participating in the Champions League will be suspended automatically for a meeting in two cases: for an accumulation of three yellow cards during three different games, then for any subsequent warning of an odd number (fifth, seventh, ninth…). Meunier was directly concerned by the first case: he was warned during his two previous appearances in C1: in Bruges (5-0), October 22, and in Madrid (2-2), November 26. Two warnings received late (85th minute and 89th), like Tuesday in Dortmund.
At PSG, two other players were in the same case: Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria. The first city will, like Meunier, be suspended against Borussia on March 11. The Argentinian will risk him, on the return, a suspension for the quarter-final first leg in the event of qualification. UEFA specifies that "all yellow cards are canceled after the quarter-finals".