Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has escaped formal punishment from UEFA after shoving a ball-boy during his side’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, with European football’s governing body opting for a warning rather than a ban.

The incident occurred late in the round of 16 first leg at the Parc des Princes, as Chelsea chased the game in a tie they eventually lost 5-2. Eager to restart play quickly, Neto rushed to collect the ball for a throw-in and pushed a seated ball-boy off his chair in the process, sparking immediate debate over player conduct and respect for matchday staff.

UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body opened proceedings in the days that followed, examining footage and reports from match officials. After review, the panel decided against imposing a suspension or fine, instead issuing what it described as a formal warning to Neto for unsporting conduct.

The decision was welcomed inside the Chelsea camp. Head coach Liam Rosenior, speaking ahead of the return leg at Stamford Bridge, said the governing body had shown appropriate judgment.

“He’s apologised for the incident in Paris. There was no real bad intention, he just wanted to get on with the game. I think UEFA have made the right decision,” Rosenior told reporters, stressing that the winger’s actions were out of character.

Neto himself moved quickly to repair the situation on the night of the match. In a post-game interview, he revealed that he had sought out the ball-boy immediately after the final whistle.

“I’m not like this. It was in the heat of the moment and I want to apologise. I gave him my shirt. I’m really sorry about it – I feel I have to apologise to him,” Neto said, adding that he repeated his apology “about 35 times.”

Team-mate Vitinha helped translate Neto’s remorse to the young ball-boy, who does not speak Portuguese. According to Neto, the boy accepted the apology, laughed about the incident and left with the player’s shirt as a memento.

The case now appears closed from UEFA’s perspective, with the warning serving as a reminder of the standards expected of players, even amid the intensity of elite European competition.