Izuchukwu Okosi
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi could be sanctioned by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) for disciplinary issues in the aftermath of PSG’s defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 stages.
Reports monitored on the PSG owner’s indiscretion indicate that he may get a 28-month jail term.
Al-khelaifi in the company of Sporting Director Leonadro stormed into the referee’s room in protest over the buildup to one of Real Madrid’s goal in last Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat that eliminated the Paris club from the competition.
The PSG boss eventually broke an ‘equipment ball’ and even threatened to “kill” a Real Madrid official according to leading European sports publications.
Madrid overturned a two-goal deficit in the last-16 second leg, with Karim Benzema’s second-half hat-trick sealing a 3-2 aggregate victory for Madrid.
It was the first of Benzema’s three goals which enraged PSG, who felt Benzema should have been called for a foul on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the build-up.
There was also Al-Khelaifi’s outburst which was documented in the referee’s report that also stated that PSG director of football Leonardo was alongside him.
Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo “behaved aggressively and tried to enter the referee’s dressing room,” according to the report.
“When the referee asked them to leave, the president hit a piece of the assistant’s equipment, breaking it.”
A report in the ESPN states that a source says they had “never seen club executives behave like that.”
Spanish publication Marca stated that Al-Khelaifi’s behavior was recorded by a Real Madrid employee — possibly club delegate Mejia Davila, whose office Al-Khelaifi initially, mistakenly entered first — who will likely send the footage to UEFA to study for a possible punishment.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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