"Completely anti-Parisian refereeing" - Pierre Ménès slams match official after PSG's loss to Nantes
French football commentator Pierre Menes has slammed the referee, during PSG's game against Nantes, for erroneous decisions in his opinion piece.
The Parisians were stunned 3-1 by the Canaries in Ligue 1 on Saturday in a game replete with questionable refereeing calls.
Mikael Laisage, the match official on the night, overturned a red card for Dennis Appiah, who barged over Kylian Mbappe as he ran through on goal following a VAR review.
However, the defender, already on a booking from an earlier challenge, escaped a sending off after bringing down Mbappe once again that led to PSG's penalty.
Marco Verratti and sporting director Leonardo have both criticized Laisage for being soft on Appiah, and now, Menes has also taken his turn to slam the referee.
In a scathing rant on pierrotfootballclub.com, he wrote:
"I see only one downside in this match, it's the lamentable refereeing of Mr. Lesage, who is not one of our worst referees but who produced a completely anti-Parisian refereeing."
He further wrote:
"I know I'm going to incur the wrath of some people by saying this, but seriously… As much as he is right to have requalified Appiah's red as yellow, but how can he not give the same Appiah a second yellow for the fault he commits on Mbappé on the penalty."
PSG also unhappy with Pallois decisions
Nicolas Pallois made some tough challenges in the match but curiously never went into the referee's books.
He climbed over Messi to concede a free-kick, but escaped a booking and then caught Mbappe on the follow through, for which the 34-year-old wasn't penalized either.
Reflecting upon the same, Menes continued:
"And then I'm fed up with these referees who you can't talk to and who are a hit at the slightest challenge but do not sanction hard or dangerous play. You still have to explain to me how Pallois can end this match without a yellow card."
He also wrote:
"How is it possible to not call any fouls on Messi? How can Neymar take a punch in the face without fault? As I sometimes say, it's not because it's PSG, it's not because it's the richest, it's not because it's far ahead that you have to referee it differently from other clubs."
PSG return to action on Saturday in Ligue 1 against St-Etienne.