French secretary of state for sports Thierry Braillard has described the head-butt landed by Brandao on Thiago Motta as “scandalous”.

The incident came in the tunnel after PSG’s 2-0 win against Bastia, and resulted in Motta receiving a broken nose.

“Of course it merits a sanction,” Braillard told France Info, calling Brandao’s action “scandalous, unacceptable”.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, PSG president, Nasser Al Khelaifi, somewhat melodramatically, called for Brandao to be suspended for life. However, after tempers had cooled, L’Equipe reported that neither the club nor Motta wanted to press charges.

Nevertheless, French police are reportedly ready to open their own investigation into the matter while the French Football League’s Disciplinary Commission will also study footage of the incident.

Brandao, who last season was suspended for four matches after elbowing Yohan Cabaye in a match between his former club St Etienne and PSG, could face up to a 12-month ban for his latest indiscretion.

His assault on Motta took his former boss at St Etienne, Christophe Galtier, by surprise.

He said: “Brandao is a player who, given his athletic build and style of play, comes into contact with other players, sometimes it’s unlucky, sometimes it’s borderline, which lead to suspensions or tempers fraying.

“I have never seen him get annoyed in the dressing-room nor in the tunnel. I’m surprised. I don’t know what happened on the pitch, if there were things said or not, but the act he committed can hardly be forgiven.”