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Paris Saint-Germain Fans Protest Players and Board Members
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What this article is about:
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- Backstory
- The Protests
- PSG’s Statement
- Conclusion
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Backstory
rnLionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and the PSG hierarchy faced strong protests from the club’s supporters on Wednesday, with fans calling for the board to resign as they also criticised “overrated players”.
rnPSG Ultras group Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) organised the protest, which initially started at the club’s headquarters in Boulogne. Around 400 supporters gathered, with flares lit and banners made to highlight their dissatisfaction with the direction of the club.
rnOne banner read: “PSG, who are you, where are you going? Do you hear me?”
rnChants were made against players such as Messi, Neymar, and coach Christophe Galtier, while they also criticised president Nasser Al Khelaifi, whom the CUP has demanded to meet.
rnElsewhere, a group of PSG fans stood outside of Neymar’s house chanting and demanding he leaves the club, despite the player’s contract running until the summer of 2027 with the option of a further year.
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The Protests
rnAs a result of the events, PSG has reinforced security at the club’s training ground, Camp des Loges, with players also receiving extra protection outside of their houses.
rnThe protests follow PSG suspending Messi for two weeks, after the Argentine took an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. Supporters have jeered Messi and Neymar at the Parc des Princes on a number of separate occasions this season, however, the CUP clarified the protests are related to a wider issue at the club.
rnIn a statement released on Wednesday, the CUP criticised “recruitment without a global vision”, the signings of “overrated players” and “mercenaries” and high ticket prices. Clearly disgruntled with the direction of the club, the statement also refers to the club potentially moving away from the Parc des Princes in the future, while suggesting football, not commercial expansion, should be the owners’ focus.
rn”QIF (Qatar Investment Fund) you have purchased a football club… play football!”
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PSG’s Statement
rnThe club has condemned the actions of the supporters since.
rn“Paris Saint-Germain most strongly condemns the intolerable and insulting actions of a small group of individuals that took place on Wednesday,” a club statement read.
rn“Whatever the differences of opinion, nothing justifies such actions.
rn“The club gives its full support to its players, its staff and all those targeted by such shameful behaviour.”
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Conclusion
rnThe protests from PSG’s fans demonstrate the level of dissatisfaction with the club’s hierarchy, as well as their players. The club has responded with a statement condemning the behaviour of the supporters, while the PSG Ultras have released a statement of their own highlighting the issues they have with the club. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the weeks to come.
What a fascinating article. I never knew there was so much going on behind the scenes at PSG, cheers for the enlightening read!
Interesting article! It’s so cool to see the passion of PSG supporters—it’s a great reminder of why football is such an important part of life.
Wow! Interesting article – I’m a newcomer to the site and am learning so much already. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!
This is an interesting article! I’m looking forward to learning more about the issue.
Wow, great article. Really interesting to hear why PSG fans are protesting their players and board.
Interesting article! It’s sad to see fans having to protest their own team. Hopefully, it all resolves soon.
I’m so proud of PSG supporters for standing up for their club! We all should support teams and demand better from them.