Erling Haaland, 20, author of an assist for his captain Marco Reus in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League, was prosecuted on Tuesday evening in the tunnel leading to the locker rooms of the Etihad Stadium
by Romanian linesman Octavian Sovre, who asked for an autograph.
The Norwegian prodigy of Borussia Dortmund granted him this precious initial.
“I was told, I haven't seen it.
Maybe he's a Haaland fan, ”said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola of Spain.
The linesman asked Erling Haaland for his autograph at the end of the match 😳 pic.twitter.com/sLy4quVILU
- Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) April 7, 2021
Sovre had officiated with his compatriot, fourth referee Sebastian Coltescu, in the Champions League group stage match between PSG and Basaksehir Istanbul on December 8, which was interrupted by the players.
The assistant coach of the Turkish club, Cameroonian Pierre Achille Webo, was indignant at having been referred to as "the black" in Romanian ("negru") by one of the two men.
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Sebastian Coltescu was sanctioned for "inappropriate behavior" and suspended until the end of the season by UEFA.
Sovre was punished more lightly, with a "reprimand".
The internal justice of the instance did not sanction the two men for "racist or discriminatory conduct" (article 14 of its rules), but on the basis of its article 11, which sets "the general principles of conduct" on the terrain and forbids, for example, insults.
UEFA also ordered the two referees to follow "an educational program" by the end of June.