Tag: PSG

PSG to fans: Don’t go to Neymar’s house to yell at him

Things are getting worse and worse at PSG

Things have gotten truly ugly at Paris Saint-Germain, with fans taking their ire at the club’s superstars to a new level this week.

Despite PSG being five points clear atop Ligue 1 and on course to win a fifth straight French title, the latest chapter involves supporters setting up protests outside of club headquarters and telling players to leave the team.

Possibly more than 100 fans joined that demonstration, chanting that players like Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti are no longer wanted. A subset of those fans took things even further, heading to Neymar’s house in the suburbs to chant “Neymar, get lost!” from just outside his gate. Neymar’s bemused neighbors captured the scene on video.

Neymar hasn’t even been available for PSG since early March, when he underwent ankle surgery that is expected to keep him out until sometime in June.

PSG on Thursday issued a club statement saying that it “most strongly condemns the intolerable and insulting actions of a small group of individuals that took place on Wednesday. Whatever the differences of opinion, nothing justifies such actions. The club gives its full support to its players, its staff and all those targeted by such shameful behavior.”

Sour times at PSG

The protests are just the latest in a long series of messes at PSG. Messi has already gotten a taste of how the club’s fans have turned on the squad, being relentlessly booed during a loss to Lyon last month. On Monday, Messi was suspended by the club for two weeks after jetting off to Saudi Arabia without getting club permission.

In April, head coach Christophe Galtier denied allegations of racism dating back to his time in charge at Nice, while the club disappointingly crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 in March. Just before that, defender Achraf Hakimi was investigated by police after being accused of rape.

Even basic soccer matters have gone wrong. PSG has been dealing with a lengthy list of injured players all season long, and three of the last four teams to visit the Parc des Princes have beaten their hosts. The club’s poor form has given Marseille — who haven’t lost since PSG beat them 3-0 in late February — a slight chance of completing an unthinkable comeback in the Ligue 1 standings.

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Ronaldo becomes world’s highest-paid athlete after Saudi move. Will Messi follow him?

The Al Nassr star is back atop the list for the first time since 2017. But his stay may be short lived

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, according to Forbes.

The publication released its list of the 10 highest-paid athletes for 2023, which was topped by Ronaldo for the first time since 2017. Lionel Messi came in second and Kylian Mbappé was third.

The trio were the only soccer players on the list, and all draw their huge salaries from Middle Eastern countries. Messi and Mbappé are teammates at Qatari-owned PSG.

Except, not for long! Widespread reports on Wednesday stated that Messi would be leaving PSG at the end of the season when his contract expires. The divorce has been in the works for a while, but was sped up when PSG suspended Messi on Tuesday for an unauthorized trip to — you guessed it — Saudi Arabia.

Messi’s next trip to Saudi Arabia could see him regain his spot atop the Forbes list in 2024. The Telegraph reported that Messi’s representatives are in talks with the Saudi government — for which Messi is already a paid spokesperson — over a deal to bring him to the Saudi Pro League that would be worth a total of $400 million per year.

That would dwarf Ronaldo’s total package of an estimated $136 million.

In a very related story, golfers Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson also appear on the Forbes list after leaving the PGA Tour for Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

Forbes Top 10 money list in 2023

1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($136 million)
2. Lionel Messi ($130m)
3. Kylian Mbappé ($120m)
4. LeBron James ($119.5m)
5. Canelo Álvarez ($110m)
6. Dustin Johnson ($107m)
7. Phil Mickelson ($106m)
8. Stephen Curry ($100.4m)
9. Roger Federer ($95.1m)
10. Kevin Durant ($89.1m)

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PSG suspends Messi two weeks for unauthorized Saudi Arabia trip

Messi’s jaunt to Riyadh caused plenty of strife within PSG’s locker room

Paris Saint-German has made the eye-opening decision to suspend superstar Lionel Messi two weeks without pay for his unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia, per reports from RMC Sport and L’Equipe.

As first reported by L’Equipe, PSG manager Christophe Galtier told his players that they could have Monday and Tuesday off should they defeat Lorient on Sunday.

However, PSG lost 3-1 to the mid-table side in a dismal effort at Parc des Princes. After that defeat, however, Messi went ahead and flew to Saudi Arabia anyway on Monday without asking for permission.

Meanwhile, back in Paris, PSG’s squad trained on Monday without Messi.

Messi is a paid spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s tourism board, and made an appearance with his family in Riyadh on Monday.

The Argentinian will now miss PSG’s next two games, against Troyes on Sunday and against Ajaccio on May 13.

According to multiple reports, Messi’s unauthorized trip caused tension within PSG’s locker room, with several players feeling as though the Argentine superstar was getting preferential treatment.

That, in part, led club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to make the extraordinary decision to suspend one of the game’s all-time greats.

Messi’s contract at PSG expires at the end of the current season, with his next destination subject to plenty of speculation. This latest strife between Messi and his club would seem to make it more likely that the 35-year-old will leave Paris after two seasons following the conclusion of the current campaign.

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PSG coach Galtier ‘shocked’ by racism allegations

Galtier said he was prepared to take legal action

PSG head coach Christophe Galtier has said he’s “shocked” by recent allegations of racism and has vowed to take legal action to clear his name.

Earlier this week, reports in France quoted a leaked email from Nice’s former director of football Julien Fournier, in which he told the club’s owners Galtier said there were too many black and Muslim players in the squad.

Galtier, who coached Nice from 2021 to 2022, had the chance to respond on Friday in his pre-match press conference.

“I have been extremely shocked by the allegations that some people have irresponsibly made and relayed,” Galtier said while reading a written statement. “These allegations hurt me in the deepest part of my being.

“I am a child who grew up in a council estate, in a melting pot with values of sharing and respect for others, regardless of their origins or religion. All my life and career has been guided by the the wellbeing and sharing with others.

“I cannot accept that my name and my family could be tarnished in this way. So I have decided to take legal action against anyone damaging my reputation. I trust our legal system and I also welcome the start of a legal proceeding this morning with serenity. I will not make any more comments on this matter.”

Before Galtier spoke, a PSG spokesperson read a statement of support for the coach, saying: “The club supports Christophe Galtier in the face of the many and unacceptable threats he has received, and now hopes that this matter will be dealt with by the courts.”

Nice prosecutor Xavier Bonhomme has announced that a preliminary investigation has been opened into possible “racial or religious discrimination.”

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PSG fans put charm offensive on Messi by booing him mercilessly

Perhaps not the best way to convince your star player to sign a new contract

Lionel Messi has a big decision to make at the end of this season.

The Argentine superstar’s contract at PSG is set to expire this summer, and he seems to have three pretty clear options for now: re-sign with the Paris side, complete an emotional return to Barcelona (who may not be able to actually afford him), or take his talents to South Beach and sign with Inter Miami.

Option number one looked like a safe bet a few months ago amid widespread reports that the World Cup Golden Ball winner had verbally agreed to a new deal.

But nothing has yet been signed and this weekend, PSG fans didn’t exactly do their utmost to show Messi he’d be welcomed back for another run at Parc des Princes.

Instead, at least some sections of the home support booed Messi throughout Sunday’s dismal 1-0 loss to Lyon.

Messi was not at his best in the game against Lyon, nor, more importantly, over a two-leg defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16.

But for head coach Christophe Galtier, who admitted Messi wasn’t at his best against Lyon, those whistles were still harsh.

“Leo Messi tried very hard,” Galtier said. “It is not just about Messi and Kylian MbappĂ©. There were some technical mistakes in his [Messi’s] link-up play, but I think the whistles are hard to listen to because Leo Messi gives so much. He has got goals and assists in 2023, but it is also down to his teammates in terms of doing more to create more danger in the opposition penalty box.”

Asked if he had considered benching Messi, Galtier added: “When it is a difficult period and you need to turn a situation around and score goals, Leo Messi is a decisive player who is capable of coming up with a moment of magic that can be decisive for scoring goals. He has scored goals in 2023, he has got assists. I have never thought about taking him off or not playing him. He is an important player in our attacking lineup.”

Even after four scoreless games in a row, Messi has 18 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season.

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Barcelona is officially trying to bring Lionel Messi back

Barca is in talks with its former superstar. Can it afford to bring him back? Who knows!

Operation Bring Leo Back appears to be in full force at Barcelona.

On Friday, Barcelona vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed that the club is in talks with Lionel Messi over a return this summer.

Messi, who marked himself as one of the great players in the game’s history over 17 seasons with Barcelona, shockingly left in 2021 to sign with PSG as a free agent amid financial troubles with the Catalan side.

The World Cup-winner’s contract in Paris has now entered its final months, and Yuste has said that Barcelona is hoping the 35-year-old will make a sensational comeback to the Camp Nou.

“I am still gutted he couldn’t continue here,” Yuste said at a news conference. “Of course I would like him to come back, because of what he represents on a sporting, social and economic level.

“We are in contact with [Messi’s camp], yes. Beautiful stories should have happy endings, and there is a mutual love between the two parties.”

Yuste’s remarks come three months after widespread reports indicated Messi would renew his contract with PSG. Those talks appear to have hit a snag, while Inter Miami is also working to bring the Argentine to MLS.

Much like two years ago, Barcelona is still in a difficult financial situation. Yuste said that the club was working on a plan that would convince La Liga that it could afford to bring Messi back.

“We still have two months to work hard to present our revenue and sustainability plan to [La Liga president Javier] Tebas,” Yuste added.

“I don’t like to speak about Leo because he is a PSG player, but if all the conditions are met, we are open to the possibility. [Barcelona] president [Joan Laporta] has been with Leo’s father, and there is a good relationship.

“Of course, there is no plan to go on the attack because we don’t want PSG to see it like that. If it happens, it will be because destiny takes you back to where you have to go. If all the conditions come together and Leo comes back to Barcelona, it would be the perfect ending to a very happy story.”

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Bayern condemn PSG to yet another Champions League disappointment

PSG once again came up short in the Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League agonies will last for at least another year.

PSG’s wait for European glory carried on Wednesday as they crashed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 after a 3-0 aggregate loss to a disciplined, clinical Bayern Munich.

At the Allianz Arena, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s second half goal condemned a short-handed PSG to more Champions League disappointment, with the Ligue 1 juggernaut once again not able to translate domestic dominance at a continental level. Serge Gnabry tacked on a late goal to ensure celebrations in Bavaria.

Bayern’s game-winning goals in the two legs both came from ex-PSG players, with Choupo-Moting having left them for Bayern in 2020 and first-leg scorer Kingsley Coman a PSG academy product.

It’s been like this for a long, long time. PSG’s lone European trophy remains the 1995-96 Cup Winners’ Cup, which is a competition that stopped existing before the turn of the century. They have had some close calls, losing the 2019-20 final (again to Bayern), but today’s defeat comes at a familiar stage. This is the fifth time in the last seven seasons they’ve been eliminated at the first knockout hurdle.

That will likely result in some real pressure for manager Christophe Galtier, though injuries to Neymar (which likely influenced a formation change), Presnel Kimpembe, and Renato Sanches were further compounded by multiple enforced substitutions on Wednesday.

Despite those issues, PSG competed on equal terms for a long spell of the first half in a second leg they had to win. However, once the golden opportunity to equalize arrived, they weren’t ready.

Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer, having received a back-pass, was pressured by Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi, with the latter jarring the ball loose with a tackle. Sommer attempted a lunging tackle of his own on Vitinha, who calmly dodged that effort and sized up an empty net.

Surely the moment for PSG, right?

Wrong. Matthijs de Ligt sprinted onto the scene seemingly from nowhere, arriving just in time to slice Vitinha’s rolling shot off the line. Leo Messi had his head in his hands, Marco Verratti literally fell down upon seeing the shot not actually give them a lead, and PSG were stuck at 0-0.

In retrospect, it was a moment that changed the match. PSG’s Champions League misfortunes only grew: Marquinhos had been substituted due to a possible hip injury just two minutes before de Ligt’s denial, compounding PSG’s availability problems.

It only got worse, though, as his replacement Nordi Mukiele was then replaced at halftime by El Chadaille Bitshiabu.

Bayern sensed a foe that lacked the confidence befitting a side that can start MbappĂ© and Messi together, and pounced as the second half wore on. Choupo-Moting thought he had his goal in the 51st minute, but VAR ended up pulling it back after Thomas MĂŒller was judged to be offside and involved in the play as he reached out for what turned out to be an unnecessary stab at a finish.

This should have been the wake-up call for PSG, but they never really got going again. Choupo-Moting would strike again shortly thereafter, and this time PSG wasn’t saved by VAR. MĂŒller and Leon Goretzka pressured Verratti into a turnover, with Goretzka drawing the defense before sliding a pass over to the Cameroon striker for a simple finish.

For Choupo-Moting it marked his team-leading 17th of the season; for PSG, it was effectively game over. The Parisians only truly came close to making a game of it through Sergio Ramos’ 64th minute header, only for Sommer to come up with a top-drawer save. Such is life when you’re PSG in the Champions League.

Serge Gnabry would finish the game off late, firing home after JoĂŁo Cancelo’s 70-yard run left a scrambling PSG defense with little hope of intervention.

Bayern will join Chelsea, AC Milan, Benfica, and four more teams in the quarterfinal draw, while PSG’s herd of superstars will be left pondering what it will take to actually advance in this competition.

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Messi also can’t believe Mbappe scored World Cup final hat trick and lost

Only two players have scored a men’s World Cup final hat trick — and only one has lost the game

Like the rest of us, Lionel Messi was blown away by Kylian MbappĂ©’s World Cup final performance.

The PSG teammates clashed in the 2022 final at Lusail Stadium, with Argentina defeating France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw over 120 minutes.

Despite his country’s defeat, MbappĂ© made history as just the second men’s player to ever score a hat trick in a World Cup final. The treble saw MbappĂ© clinch the Golden Boot at the tournament with eight goals over seven games.

Messi, who also scored in the final, recounted the incredible match in an interview with PSG TV.

“It really was a breathtaking final. It was crazy how the match went,” Messi said. “Kylian scored three incredible goals, in a final! Not being able to be champion after that was crazy.

“But he’s already won it too, and he knows what it’s like to be world champion. So yes, it was a great final for the football world. And now it’s true that it’s nice to be able to play in the same team with him, and I hope we can do great things here in Paris.”

As Messi mentioned, Mbappé had already played and scored in a World Cup final before the 2022 showpiece. In 2018, the superstar forward lifted the trophy in Russia after a 4-2 win over Croatia.

By his standards, Messi’s debut season with PSG was far below expectations. But this season Messi has returned to form, saying that he needed time to adjust to a new team and new country in the 2021-22 campaign.

“Yes, it’s true that I feel very well,” he said. “The first year, I needed a little time to adapt to Paris for different reasons, but I started this season really differently, with a lot of desire.

“I feel more comfortable with the club, with the city, with everything that Paris means. And the truth is that I am really enjoying this season. I think my whole life has been like that.

“About dedication, work, effort and wanting more every day. I’ve arrived at a new club and I want to win the title with Paris, to be able to achieve the big goals we set ourselves at the beginning of the season.”

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Sony is developing an animated Lionel Messi series

The show will depict Messi as a child as he confronts obstacles while traveling in a video game

Sony Music Entertainment has announced it is developing an animated series featuring Lionel Messi.

The series, which is targeted toward young children and adolescents, will depict Messi as a child as he confronts obstacles while traveling throughout a video game.

Sony Music Entertainment will provide original music for the series, which will be available in English, Spanish and several other languages.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved animated series and my kids are big fans of animated characters. Being able to participate in an animation project makes me happy, because it fulfills one of my dreams! I would like to thank Sony Music for joining this project and we hope that everyone will like the result, especially the girls and the boys,” Messi said in a release.

It isn’t yet known which platform the series will call home, with Sony Music’s Premium Content Division overseeing development and distribution.

“It is a privilege for Sony Music to collaborate with Lionel Messi on this project to showcase the power and lessons of sports in partnership with the greatest football player of all time and one of the greatest athletes in history,” said Fernando Cabral, executive vice president of business development, Latin-Iberia regional for Sony Music Entertainment.

“We look forward to bringing this heartwarming and humbling series to screens for audiences of all ages around the world.”

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Neymar likely out for season with ankle injury

The Brazilian star will be sidelined for 3-4 months after he undergoes ankle surgery

Neymar has suffered another major injury setback, as PSG announced the Brazilian superstar will require ankle surgery and will be sidelined 3-4 months.

With just about three months remaining in the season, the 31-year-old looks likely to be out for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign.

Neymar suffered the injury in a win over Lille on February 19, as he was stretchered off midway through the first half.

“Neymar Jr has sustained a number of instances of instability in his right ankle in recent years,” read a PSG statement. “Following his latest sprain … the Paris Saint-Germain medical staff recommended a ligament repair operation to avoid a major risk of recurrence. All the experts consulted have confirmed this necessity.

“The surgery will be performed in the next few days at the ASPETAR hospital in Doha. It will take 3-4 months before he can return to training with the team.”

Neymar was in the midst of another standout campaign, with 18 goals and 17 assists in all competitions.

PSG currently leads Ligue 1 by eight points, and will face Bayern Munich on Wednesday in a Champions League last-16 second leg. The Bundesliga giants won the first leg 1-0 in Paris last month.

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