Who is Sebastian Coltescu? PSG vs Istanbul Basaksehir referee comes under massive scrutiny

Romanian match official Sebastian Coltescu has grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons after he allegedly used a racist slur during Istanbul Basaksehir's Champions League clash against PSG on Tuesday. It led to the game being abandoned, 14 minutes after kick-off as players from both teams walked off the pitch and refused to return to the field of play. With the fourth official now under heavy scrutiny for his alleged racist remark, netizens have been curious to know more about Sebastian Coltescu. 

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Who is Sebastian Coltescu? What happened during the PSG vs Istanbul Basaksehir game? 

On Tuesday night, PSG faced Istanbul Basaksehir on Matchday 6 of the Champions League knowing that a point would secure their qualification to the last 16 of the tournament. However, the spotlight quickly shifted towards the fourth official of the game - Sebastian Coltescu. 

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Sebastian Coltescu, a Romanian referee reportedly referred to Istanbul Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo as "that black guy" which sparked outrage from the Basaksehir players, including Demba Ba. In a video clip, Ba was heard arguing with Coltescu after his alleged racist remark on Webo. It is believed that Coltescu referred to "that black guy" when trying to inform the referee that Webo was the one who deserved to get a red card. 

Ba and several other PSG players asked the fourth official to explain himself before the Istanbul Basaksehir players walked off the pitch. The PSG players followed suit resulting in the match being abandoned. Their UCL game is now rescheduled for Wednesday, December 9 at 6:55 pm local time (11:25 pm IST). Fans on social media have slammed Coltescu for his alleged racist remarks which led to the game being abandoned. 

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However, this isn't the first time Coltescu has found himself in hot waters. In 2007, he was demoted to the second tier of Romanian football by FIFA but returned to refereeing top-flight games in the country the following year. This season, he has been the match referee in only one game in Europe - a clash between Petrocub Hincesti and Backa Topola in a Europe League qualifier. 

Also, just over two weeks ago, Coltescu became the hot topic of discussion following his decisions in a Romanian league game between Gaz Metan Medias and Steaua Bucharest. Former Romanian referee Adrian Porumboiu gave a damning verdict on Coltescu by stating the 43-year-old's career is filled with "dark moments", accusing Coltescu of "partiality".

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Image Credits - Jake Buckley Instagram