Thursday 12 March 2015 17:11, UK
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's red card against Chelsea will not be overturned, UEFA has confirmed.
The PSG forward was sent off for a challenge on Oscar in the first half of his side’s Champions League clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Laurent Blanc’s men went on to secure a 2-2 draw after extra time and progress to the quarter-finals on away goals despite spending 90 minutes a man short.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had even called on UEFA officials to cancel the dismissal but the governing body said referees' decisions are viewed as final unless in a case of mistaken identity.
A UEFA spokesman pointed to its disciplinary regulations which state: "Decisions taken by the referee on the field of play are final and may not be reviewed by the UEFA disciplinary bodies."
Ibrahimovic slammed referee Bjorn Kuipers’ decision and criticised the Chelsea players for their reaction, saying it was like he had “a lot of babies” around him.
The Sweden international insists he pulled out of his challenge and believes Oscar may have feigned injury to ensure the referee reacted.
"I pulled out, because I saw him come in the tackle," Ibrahimovic said.
"I don't know if he was acting afterwards. Doesn't matter. We won the game, we went through and let's see what happens."
Manchester United failed in an attempt to overturn a red card for Darren Fletcher in 2009 after he was sent off in the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal despite video replays showing he had made little if any contact, and the Scotland midfielder missed the final.
