After the interruption Tuesday evening of the Champions League match PSG-Basaksehir because of comments considered racist by the fourth referee, the central referee was still in shock.
He slipped a few words to Europe 1, without dwelling on a situation which is the subject of an official investigation by UEFA.
A Champions League football match interrupted for accusations of racist remarks made by ... a referee!
It is unprecedented in modern history.
The fourth Romanian referee of the PSG-Basaksehir match clearly designated one of the Turkish club's coaches with the word "negru" ("the black" in his language), to ask the main referee to exclude him (we hear it on TV recordings).
Anger of the players of the two teams who left the lawn of the Parc des Princes all together.
The match will not resume until Wednesday evening.
And the Romanian referees find themselves at the center of the controversy.
Europe 1 managed to reach the central referee exclusively for Europe1.
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At the end of the phone, the voice is still stunned by the turn of events.
Renowned international central referee Ovidiu Hategan hesitates before answering.
In theory, he does not have the right.
But he still delivers a few soothing words on his behalf and those of his assistants, including Sebastian Coltescu, the fourth referee in the heart of the storm.
"We can't make any statements, we have to talk to UEFA first. Normally I would have answered you gladly, but not tonight. Of course we're sorry, but respect our silence, and understand the situation ", he slips in a tired voice.
In-depth investigation, the referees replaced Wednesday evening
Was there any confusion between the referees and the Turkish bench?
In Romanian, "negru" means black.
This is how assistant coach Achille Webo qualified.
His behavior was considered very aggressive from the start of the game.
The racist insult "negro", which does not exist in the Romanian vocabulary, was therefore not uttered.
But Webo was indeed designated as an individual by his only skin color, triggering the wrath of the players of the Turkish team and then the interruption of the match.
UEFA has opened an in-depth investigation into this politically explosive affair, which even prompted Turkish President Erdogan to react.
One thing is certain: the quartet of Romanian referees will not be on the lawn of the Parc des Princes on Wednesday evening for the end of this match which will be a milestone in the history of football.