PSG Boss Slams Referee for Failing To Show Ghanaian Defender Red Card

• Leonardo believes Dennis Appiah should have received the matching orders during PSG's clash with Nantes last Saturday
• Appiah brought down Kyllian Mbappe in the penalty box but the referee refrained from issuing Appiah with a second yellow card
• Nantes secured a 3-1 victory on Saturday evening and hand the league leaders their second defeat in the French league this season

Sporting Director of Paris Saint-Germain Leonardo has criticised French referee Mikael Lesage for failing to send off Ghanaian defender Dennis Appiah during their Ligue 1 tie against Nantes on Saturday.

The 29-year-old defender featured as the league leaders suffered a shocking 3-1 away defeat to Nantes at the Stade de la Beaujoire - a match that saw Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi starting for Mauricio Pochettino's side.

PSG found themselves 3-0 down at half time, thanks to goals from Randal Kolo Muani, Quentin Merlin and Ludovic Blas.

The league leaders started the second half strongly as Neymar pulled a goal back in the 47th minute. Shortly after the Brazilian's strike, there was a moment of controversy when Mbappe was brought down in the penalty box by Nantes and Ghanaian defender Dennis Appiah.

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The referee pointed to the spot to give PSG a penalty but he controversially refrained from issuing Appiah with a second yellow card, and subsequent red, much to the disbelief of the PSG camp.

This decision infuriated Leonardo after the game, who criticised the referee via Sport:

"[Nantes defender] Dennis Appiah should have been shown the second yellow card for the penalty on [Kylian] Mbappe."

"And a second yellow, logically, means a red card and sending off. In addition, the referee stopped giving many fouls on our players.

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Marco Verratti was also not happy with the officiating on Saturday and expressed his distress after the defeat against Nantes.

"How is it possible that [Appiah] doesn't receive a yellow card?" the Italian questioned.

"It's a [second] yellow, it's a red, it's a penalty. Sometimes you have to take responsibility, but the referee screwed us."

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Mbappe nets brilliant stoppage-time winner against Real Madrid

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Paris Saint Germain edged Real Madrid 1-0 in a pulsating Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday, February 15 at the Parc des Princes.

It was Kylian Mbappe who got the winner with a brilliant goal in stoppage time to give his side an advantage over the 13-time Champions League winners.

The hosts were thoroughly dominant, particularly in possession, but somehow failed to break down the Spanish giants for large parts of the game.