Rudiger on his incident with Pogba: ’It was not a bite, it was a nibble’

Was it a nibble or a bite? The bizarre incidents on the EURO 2020 are continuing, and this is the second one from the same game: France vs England. After a Greenpeace protester parachuted himself onto the field and was nearly killed by snipers, another ’incident’ took place during the match. During the first half, Germany’s Antonio Rudiger and France’s Paul Pogba were in a duel and it seems that Chelsea’s defender have bitten United’s midfielder, immediately bringing back the memories from the most famous bite in football history - Luis Suarez vs Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup 2014.

Pogba reacted to the ’bite’ with a grimace and asked referee Carlos del Cerro Grande about the contact, though neither the official nor VAR Juan Martinez Munuera took any action. Antonio Rudiger admitted his regret at an on-field incident with Paul Pogba during which the France midfielder claimed the Germany defender 'nibbled' his back. On Wednesday, UEFA said it was not opening a disciplinary case against Rudiger.

"I shouldn't go like that with my mouth to his back - no question - it looks unfortunate. Paul and I spoke very amicably after the final whistle, and he confirmed to me and then again in an interview that it wasn't a bite, like one or other outsiders said at first" explained Rudiger.

Rudiger is very proud of his African roots

Pogba said after the game that he felt Rudiger 'nibbled' him rather than performed a bite.

"He nibbled, I think, a little bit on me. I felt it, I told the referee, and he makes the decisions, and he took a decision. It's over. I just want to play football. He hasn't received any cards. I think it's better like this. I am not crying for cards, you know red cards, because of such actions" said the Frenchman.