Paris Saint-Germain vs İstanbul Başakşehir made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week.

The Champions League group-stage clash had to be played over two nights after the original meeting was suspended due to an alleged incident of racist abuse.

The match was halted once PSG and Başakşehir players agreed to leave the pitch after Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu was believed to have referred to Pierre Webó by his skin colour.

PSG vs İstanbul Başakşehir

The situation incensed a number of individuals on both teams with ex-Chelsea striker Demba Ba seen confronting the official and asking why he allegedly used those means of differentiation.

In the end, UEFA postponed the game to the following evening with a new set of officials in place and both squads making a powerful anti-racism gesture during the Champions League anthem.

All 22 players and the new quartet of referees took a knee around the centre-circle, while anti-racism t-shirts were sported and Parc des Princes banner erected in support of Webó.

Alleged racist abuse

PSG eventually ran away 5-1 victors with Neymar scoring a spectacular hat-trick, while Kylian Mbappe notched a brace and Mehmet Topal bagged a consolation goal for the visitors.

UEFA have launched an investigation into the events of the evening and will look to decree whether the comments made towards Webó have broken their ethical code.

While the majority of figures in the footballing world have condemned the reported comments, other individuals, such as John Barnes, have opined that describing someone as black isn't racist.

Webó gives full account

Now, however, Webó himself has given his account of the evening in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail.

"You can hear in my voice I am much more calm now," the Başakşehir coach told Adrian Kajumba. "When I watch my face, watching the video, what I did, how I was aggressive… woah.

"Even me I wouldn't want to be against me, against myself because I was very aggressive. It is my first time I've seen my face like that. Even me I don't remember the situation to be like that." 

Webó insisted that it would have been easy for Coltescu to have identified him in ways other than his skin colour, remarking: "Where I was it was very easy [to say] 'eh, the third guy, [get him] out.

"Who?' 'That guy, him, get him out.' 'Show me, come.' 'You, you.' It is easy. But it was also easy for him to say what he said. Why that word?'

"It was very difficult to hear that from one referee. A shock. From one guy who is supposed to be in control of all these kind of situation. A fourth official in a Champions League game.

"It's a high level and at a high level, we need high people. We must take care of what we say in the field. As we are talking now I must take care of what I'm saying. Imagine if I am the referee.

"When I went in. I didn't know what was going on in the field. Rafael came in and said 'we stop the game and don't play anymore.' I said: 'What, you're not playing anymore?'

"Thirty seconds after, all the team came. They ask, 'how are you?' I didn't know. I was really nervous. I didn't want to say at that time."

You can read Webó's full account here.

Now, we await the findings of the UEFA investigation. But regardless of the conclusion, let this week's episode serve as a reminder that there is no place for racism in sport or society as a whole.