RB Leizpig coach Jesse Marsch has accused the referee of showing Paris Saint-Germain’s superstars too much respect — and his players not enough — during their 2-2 draw at home in the Champions League.A last-gasp penalty by Leipzig substitute Dominik Szoboszlai sealed a 2-2 draw with PSG after Georginio Wijnaldum netted twice to cancel out Christopher Nkunku’s early goal for the hosts.🗣️”I have the impression the referees decided in favor of the big teams instead of the small ones. It’s hard to get respect from the refs. It seemed as if the referee wanted to get an autograph from Neymar.”- RB Leipzig’s Jesse Marsch pic.twitter.com/DS6Kq2V76v— Football Talk (@Football_TaIk) November 4, 2021 Marsch clashed in the first-half with Swedish referee Andreas Ekberg, who booked Leipzig’s American coach following a heated exchange on the sidelines. Marsch felt the official allowed too many decisions to go the way of the star-studded PSG team, which included Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.”I was really angry from the start with the performance of the referee. In a few moments, it honestly felt like Ekberg wanted to get an autograph from Neymar after the game. I have often experienced that the big clubs get all the respect from the refereeing team, but not the little clubs.”##NAJAVA_MECA_5949671##The draw ended Leipzig’s faint hopes of reaching the Champions League’s last 16 at the bottom of Group A while PSG yielded top spot in the table to Manchester City who thrashed Brugge 4-1 on Wednesday.Marsch’s booking was one of ten yellow cards Ekberg dished out in a bad-tempered match, four to Leipzig, six to PSG, and the American explained why he lost his temper.”The only way to change (the situation) was to escalate my emotions -– even when the fans whistle, it changes nothing. I told the fourth official, ‘I have two choices — either I sit here and take it all from you, or show some emotion and try to get some more respect from the referee’. It’s great to have Neymar, (Angel) Di Maria and Mbappe here in Leipzig –- they’re great players –- but let’s have a normal game where everyone can say it was fair.”🗣️ Jesse #Marsch:”Overall we were the better team but unfortunately only take a point. The result is one part of the story tonight, the performance another. We have to take a lot of positives from the game.”🔴⚪ #WeAreLeipzig #RBLPSG pic.twitter.com/C3HtkBgB9I— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) November 3, 2021 Marsch cited the example of the stoppage time penalty when PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe clumsily leapt onto Nkunku as a cross came in and Szoboszlai made no mistake with the spot-kick. “The second penalty was really, really clear, but Ekberg still needed to check the VAR just to be sure.”It was the second penalty PSG conceded, but Leipzig striker Andre Silva had his first-half attempt saved.© Agence France-Presse
