Asamoah Gyan has claimed his repeated refusal to leave the pitch following his red card against Al Hilal was sparked by an opposition player saying “something he has no right to tell me”.
The incensed 28-year-old had to be restrained by a succession of team-mates and officials as he sought a confrontation in the aftermath. It took several minutes for Gyan to make it down the tunnel as he continued to vent his anger.
The Ghana international had been sent off in the 70th minute for a two-footed lunge from behind on Salem Al Dawsari.
Speaking post-match, Gyan revealed the incident was sparked when “the No25” spoke to him after the tackle. The player who dons that shirt is Hilal’s defensive midfielder Mihai Pintilii.
The Romania international declined interviews after the game.
When asked if the word was racial, Gyan replied: “He knows what he said, you can ask him. He knows what he said.
“He is some Romanian guy or something. He made me really upset. I lost my head a bit. Life goes on.”
Gyan has since posted the quotes on his official website under the title 'Gyan alleges racist abuse in Al Ain's Champions League exit' with the post referencing fellow Ghanaian David Addy's sending off at the weekend as another example of racism in the game. The article also states that Al Ain "are expected to make a formal complaint to the AFC once they gather all the facts of the case."
When asked if he wanted to see further action taken against the player, he added: “I don’t really know, it depends. He said something to me that I didn’t like.
“I don’t want to reveal it to the public. He knows it, he knows what he said. He should be very careful, that is the only thing I can say. I am really nervous right now.
“The player has no right to tell me what he has.”
Gyan had no complaints about referee Ravshan Irmatov’s decision to dismiss him, but insisted the challenge was made without malice.
He said: “I must confess it was a harsh tackle. But in my mind I did not go for the player, I just went in strong for the ball. I did not go in to hurt him at all. I am a professional.
“The referee took his decision. What I did not like was the No25. He said an abusive word, I really did not like it.”
