One move, and the whole stadium flips
The finish was superb. No one is arguing that.
What happened next, though, dominated the rest of the night at the Meinau. Paris Brunner had just levelled it for Monaco against Strasbourg, a goal worth a point in the table. He wheeled away to celebrate in front of the Alsace end. The boos came down instantly. Then the German forward mimed a knife across his throat.
The stadium reacted at once. The footage spread just as quickly. At 20, and with his third goal of the season, Brunner found himself at the centre of a row he could have done without.
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His version in the mixed zone
He did not dodge the question. Asked after the game, he explained what he had heard from the pitch.
“They were talking about my family, my mother, my father. I could see them, the ones doing the shouting. After the goal, there were a lot of emotions, especially after a goal like that. I did not mean any disrespect. It was in the heat of the moment. I would not say I regret it, but that was not the message I wanted to send. It was misunderstood. What I wanted to say was: ‘what a goal, it’s done’”, the Monaco man said.
No apology, then. Just an explanation, and a point he was keen to make clear.
What happens now
It all depends on one line in a report. If referee Eric Wattellier has mentioned the gesture in his, the disciplinary panel will take a look. Brunner could end up banned for a spell after a burst of emotion that was badly judged.
Monaco, meanwhile, head back from Strasbourg with a point. A result they owe entirely to their young striker, the same player who may now be facing a sanction. It was a strange night from start to finish.
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