Gigi Becali Defends Siyabonga Ngezana After Europa League Penalty Incident

FCSB owner Gigi Becali has defended South African defender Siyabonga Ngezana following his involvement in a penalty during the team’s 3-1 UEFA Europa League defeat to FC Basel.

The match, played in Switzerland on Thursday night, saw former Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri score twice to secure Basel’s win. Ngezana was directly involved in the opening goal after conceding a penalty in the 15th minute. The ball struck his outstretched arm as he stood in the wall defending a free-kick. A VAR review confirmed the penalty, which Shaqiri converted.

Becali, who recently faced criticism for controversial remarks about Ngezana, moved quickly to absolve the defender of blame. He argued that the penalty was caused by a teammate’s positioning rather than Ngezana’s error.

“You’re blaming Ngezana for the handball, but it was Bîrligea’s fault,” Becali said during a broadcast on Euro Fotbal. “He moved aside, didn’t hold his position in the wall, and Ngezana was pulling his shirt to keep him in place. If he had stayed there, the ball would’ve hit him and nothing would’ve happened. It doesn’t matter, anyway it was going to be tough.”

The result leaves FCSB struggling in the Europa League, with three losses from four games and just three points on the board. The team now faces pressure to secure points in upcoming fixtures to improve their chances of advancing from the group stage.

Ngezana’s performance, despite the penalty incident, received backing from his club owner, who emphasized that defensive errors often involve multiple players rather than a single individual. The incident highlights the challenges defenders face in high-stakes European competitions, where split-second positioning can determine the outcome of a game.

For FCSB, the focus now shifts to regrouping and tightening defensive coordination ahead of their next Europa League match, while Ngezana retains the full support of the club’s management.