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Referee Explains Why He Didn't Give Hat-Trick Ball To Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Referee Explains Why He Didn't Give Hat-Trick Ball To Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan scored three for PSG but referee Tony Chapron refused to hand over the match ball and he's finally explained why.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Referees are best when you don't remember their performance but one French referee doesn't exactly see it that way. Tony Chapron once refused to give Zlatan Ibrahimovic the match ball and he's explained why.

The officials in football are often criticised and talked about for their actions on the pitch but it pretty much always comes from a partisan place as football fans rush to condemn them for failing to give our own teams a penalty.

However sometimes referees fully deserve criticism for all the right reasons and none more so than Tony Chapron. The French official became infamous for kicking Nantes player Diego Carlos and then sending him off.

Chapron was eventually given a six month ban for indiscretion and the red card was thankfully rescinded.

However years before the referee had hit the headlines when he refused to give the ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the PSG forward scored a hat-trick in 2015.

Speaking to BBC Sport the official explained why he didn't hand the ball over, saying:

"He arrived close to me he just clicked his fingers and said; 'The ball!

"I have four daughters and when we're together and they ask something, if we don't have the word 'please' at the end of the sentence, there is no reaction.

"So, it's the same, it's a kind of education. I think it was a kind of disrespect. There is something wrong with society if we forget the simple things such as 'please' and 'thank you'.

"It was the beginning of the Ibrahimovic show, because nobody says no to Zlatan. I was probably the only one."

Chapron might have a point about Zlatan being rude and he probably should have asked for the ball rather than click his fingers, but it very much sounds like the referee didn't like the Swede already, adding, "He is a very annoying guy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Not only with referees, he was always blaming his team-mates, always trying to cause some trouble with the opponents.

"He was a crazy guy. I think he's a fantastic player, but on the pitch he's someone else. And it was very difficult as a referee."

Referees are usually best when you don't know they're there, so make your mind up about Chapron!

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Topics: Football News, Ligue 1, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG, French football