Johan Hamel booked Marco Verratti, centre, for trickery, leading to PSG objections led by Thiago Motta, second left. JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD/AFP/Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti was given an unusual yellow card on Saturday for anti-sporting behavior known in the game as "trickery," leading the referee to explain his decision.

Verratti was booked by referee Johan Hamel after dropping to his knees and using his head to send the ball trickling back to his goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who could pick it up because his teammate had not passed the ball back with his feet.

Standing on the edge of the penalty area during a Ligue match against Nantes, the Italy international was under no pressure and had no opposition player within 20 metres of him.

The 24-year-old Verratti's gesture looked even more unusual because he then collected the ball straight back from Trapp and looked to pass it out from the back, which he could have done in the first place.

il prend jaune , j'ai rien compris pic.twitter.com/qcjmRVsrxP - Philippe (@philousports) January 21, 2017

Hamel immediately called Verratti over and showed him a yellow card, prompting an angry reaction from PSG players. Verratti, Brazil center-half Marquinhos, and midfielders Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta all protested as they crowded Hamel.

After the game, Hamel took the rare step of going on TV to explain precisely why he had cautioned Verratti, who has a long-standing reputation in Ligue 1 for constantly arguing with officials.

"The player deliberately bypassed the laws of the game. This is trickery whether the goalkeeper collects the ball or not,'' Hamel said on Canal Plus. "The defender -- Verratti in this case -- should be punished for anti-sporting behavior. He is using improper means to get around the laws of the game. This means an indirect free kick and a booking.''

Hamel had no regrets, saying: "I know this is a bit unusual, but in my mind it was clear. I'm here to apply the laws of the game, it's part of our duty. We're here to make this kind of decision, we're prepared for it."