The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach, Thomas Tuchel, expressed his concern on Tuesday about the possible sanctions that several of his players may receive this Wednesday, among them the Brazilian Neymar Jr and the Argentine Leandro Paredes, after the stormy meeting of the last Sunday against Marseille, in which they were sent off.
For his part, Marseille coach, Portuguese André Villas-Boas, expressed his full support for his defense Álvaro González, whom Neymar accused of making racist comments in that match, which ended with five sent off.
The Disciplinary Commission of the French League is scheduled to meet this Wednesday to decide possible sanctions to the three expelled from PSG on Sunday: Neymar, Paredes and the French Kurzawa.
But the sanctions could also include another Argentine from PSG, Ángel di María, accused by González of spitting on him.
“We are very concerned about that decision, but we need the context of everything that has happened on the ground,” Tuchel acknowledged during the press conference he offered on Tuesday, prior to the league match that PSG will play on Wednesday against Metz.
Regarding the accusations of Neymar to the Spanish Álvaro González, he said that it is a matter “of the club”, that on Monday he showed his support for his Brazilian star, and that it is not his responsibility.
André Villas-Boas expressed his support for Álvaro González and stressed that the two clubs must “help to find the truth.”
“We are at the player's side, in search of the truth. I am sure that Álvaro is not racist. OM represents multiculturalism,” the Portuguese coach said at a press conference.
Villas-Boas believes that González, who forms the axis of his defense together with Croatian international Duje Caleta-Car, is in a position to play in next Thursday's league match at home against Saint-Étienne.
The Spanish player is “affected” by the situation, which resulted in the disclosure of his mobile phone number, in which he has received death threats, soccer player Valentin Rongier said at the same press conference.
Regarding Neymar's accusations, Rongier assured that he did not hear “anything from Álvaro's part,” although he stressed: “It's impossible. I know Álvaro very well and he's always smiling and very respectful.”
Rongier charged against Neymar. “It does not say that throughout the game he was insulting every time there was a duel” with a rival player. The example that (Neymar) has given during the game has not been very good. “