The referee who became a viral sensation for attempting to kick out at Nantes player Diego Carlos once had beef with Zlatan Ibrahimovic a fewyears back.
When the Swede was playing for PSG in March 2015, he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Lorient - with Tony Chapron, the nutter of a ref, taking charge of the game.C
Ibrahimovic's trio of goals meant he was entitled to collect the match ball after the game, as is normal when a player scores a hat-trick. But bizarrely, Chapron was refusing to oblige and give him the ball, leading to a row between the two.
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Watch the following clip to see the argument:
Ibrahimovic did eventually get the matchball, but the referee's refusal to give him the ball at first really does beggar belief.
But as he proved in the PSG-Nantes game on Sunday night, when he sent off a player for accidentally tripping him up and even tried to lash out himself, he's no ordinary referee.
His explanation for the kick-out, which has led to calls for him to be banned, was absolutely ridiculous.
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Chapron said to AFP, via Get French Football: "When I collided with Diego Carlos, I felt a sharp pain in an area where I had suffered a recent injury. In a terrible reflex, I stretched out my leg to the player. This clumsy gesture was inappropriate."
Literally nobody on social media was buying his excuse:
Carlos' red card has subsequently been rescinded, and he is now available for selection for Nantes' game against Toulouse on Wednesday.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Ligue One, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG
