VIDEO: Pedro Neto blasted for 'disgusting' altercation with ball boy during Chelsea's Champions League loss to PSG

A difficult night for Chelsea in the Champions League was compounded by a controversial incident involving Pedro Neto. With the Blues trailing 4-2 in a tense match, the Portuguese winger's desire to restart the game escalated into a physical confrontation on the touchline.

Neto pushed a ball boy into a billboard, an act labeled "disgusting" by fans on social media. Despite the intensity of the shove and the ensuing anger from PSG players, the 26-year-old escaped a yellow card. However, he may still face retrospective UEFA sanctions for violent conduct.

In an attempt to patch things up, Neto met with the youngster after the match to offer a personal apology. He revealed that his Portugal international team-mate, Vitinha, helped bridge the communication gap to ensure the ball boy understood his regret. The 26-year-old Blues winger also gave him his jersey and, later, a visibly shaken Neto appeared on TNT Sports to express his regret. He emphasised that the incident was out of character and entirely driven by the pressure of the score.

"I want to apologise. I already spoke with him. It was the heat of the moment. We were losing, and I wanted to pick up the ball. I gave him a little push, and that cannot happen. I saw that I hurt him; I’m not like this… it was in the heat of the moment; I gave him my shirt. I have to apologise to him. I’m really, really sorry about that," Neto explained.

"Straight away I spoke to him and he laughed, he was happy I gave him the shirt and I said sorry like 35 times. I didn’t understand his French but he was laughing, so I think he knew it was a heat-of-the-moment thing, and Vitinha told him I’m not like that."

On the pitch, Liam Rosenior's side were thrashed by a brilliant PSG. Despite goals from Malo Gusto and Enzo Fernandez, defensive errors and a costly mistake by goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen allowed Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score to take control of the game.

Chelsea now face a tough task ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge to turn the game around. But before that, the Blues will first face Newcastle in the Premier League. Neto and his team-mates currently sit fifth in the table, level on 48 points with Liverpool. Although only three points behind Manchester United and Aston Villa, who are above them, Chelsea will still be fighting to ensure they seal a place in next season's Champions League.