Ribery probably provoked before slapping Real defender - FFF boss

PARIS - May 2 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery was probably provoked before slapping Real Madrid's Daniel Carjaval in their Champions League semi-final second leg, French federation president Noel Le Graet said on Friday.

(Reuters)

"It's a bad reflex. I know he's a bit nervous these days," Le Graet told French radio RTL. Ribery slapped Carjaval around the face on Tuesday as Bayern suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Real Madrid.

"I know Franck well, it's not the kind of gesture he makes naturally," Le Graet said. "There were probably little niggles before that."

Ribery has been below par this year after losing the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or award to Cristiano Ronaldo despite winning the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup with Bayern last season.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond)