Paris Saint-Germain

Leonardo: 'I wanted to manage Paris Saint-Germain'

By Liam Power, Reporter | 08 October 2013

Leonardo reveals that he had plans to coach Paris Saint-Germain before being hit with a 14-month suspension for pushing a referee last May.

Former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo has today admitted that he had plans to manage the French champions before being hit with a lengthy ban by the French Football Federation.

Leonardo had a ban for pushing referee Alexandre Castro extended to 14 months by the FFF earlier this summer, after they decided that his appeal at an initial nine-month sanction was frivolous.

The Brazilian is still fighting that ruling and outside an appeal court in Paris this afternoon has insisted that the punishment is too harsh.

He told reporters: "I think it's the measure is unfair and excessive. It is the hardest suspension in French football, a penalty that prevents me from working.

"I could have continued in PSG and done certain things. The truth is that it would have been me who trained PSG.

"I want to continue as coach, but under these circumstances I can't even get a license as an amateur in any country. That's why I'm here today."

Leonardo is likely to learn his fate early next week, with the hearing expected to continue until at least Friday.