Christophe Galtier sent off after obscene gesture in Saudi league match
Neom coach Christophe Galtier was sent off by the referee during Sunday's Saudi Pro League match against Al-Fateh after making an obscene gesture toward the opposing team's bench.
French coach Christophe Galtier made headlines for the wrong reasons on Sunday evening during matchday 7 of the Saudi Pro League, as his club Neom faced Al-Fateh.
What happened
According to both Foot Mercato and Le Parisien, as the first half was drawing to a close with the score level at 1-1, Galtier lost his composure and made an obscene gesture (a raised middle finger) toward the Al-Fateh bench. Le Parisien suggests he may have been angered by a refereeing decision or by the behavior of a member of Al-Fateh's staff, though the exact trigger is not confirmed by either source.
The gesture did not go unnoticed — it was caught on television and seen by the match referee. Le Parisien notes that the referee had already shown Galtier a card shortly before the incident, and the obscene gesture led directly to his sending-off from the touchline.
Possible consequences
Le Parisien reports that the sanction could keep Galtier out of several upcoming league matches, though neither source specifies the exact length of any ban.
Result of the match
The coach's dismissal did not derail Neom's performance — the team went on to win comfortably, 4-2. Le Parisien highlights that French forward Alexandre Lacazette scored twice. After seven matchdays, Neom remains in 5th place in the standings.
Context
Le Parisien recalls that the week had started very differently for Galtier, a former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach: following Neom's win over Al-Hilal (2-0) the previous week, he had delighted his players and fans with a celebratory dance. Sunday's incident, by contrast, added a new controversy to a coaching tenure that has already drawn attention for his sideline conduct.
