Lisbon: Portuguese club Benfica go into next week’s Champions League clash with French champions Paris Saint Germain with their manager the subject of an official police inquiry.
Jorge Jesus is being investigated for his alleged aggressive behaviour towards the police after his team’s 1-0 league win at Victoria Guimaraes on Sunday.
Jesus was helping a Benfica supporter who had run onto the pitch return to the stands when the incident took place.
“If I went over the top in my attempt to help a young person return to the stands I can only present my excuses to the authorities,” the Benfica boss told his club’s television channel.
He added: “I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, I didn’t attack anyone and I didn’t set out to do that, all I wanted to do was calm emotions.”
According to a police spokesperson Jesus is under investigation for “preventing the work of the police”.
If he is found guilty he risks being handed a prison sentence.
In 2011 Jesus was suspended for 11 days and fined €7,500 (Dh37,231) by the Portuguese Football Federation after an altercation with another manager.
Benfica face PSG at the Parc des Princes in Paris on October 2 in the second round of Champions League group games.
