After picking up a win against Borussia Dortmund in their opening Champions League game, PSG suffered a humiliating defeat to Newcastle as they lost 4-1 to the Magpies in a lacklustre showing. Luis Enrique’s haven’t been at their best this season, languishing in fifth place in Ligue after picking up just three wins in their opening seven league games.
The club’s woes have been compounded by a one-match ban to four senior players over anti-gay chants in their 4-0 win over Marseille a few weeks ago. PSG’s hopes of putting their recent results behind them in tomorrow’s encounter with Rennes have now been dealing a blow in the absence of four important first-team players.
PSG quadlet faces suspension over anti-gay chants
PSG have been dealing a major blow ahead of their weekend’s Ligue 1 game against Rennes, who are breathing down their neck on the table. The French champions have had a couple of rough weeks and may have to dig deeper than usual to get a result against Rennes when they play without four first-team players who they lost to suspension over anti-gay chants in their domestic game against Marseille some weeks ago.
PSG fans chanted anti-gay lyrics in their 4-0 win over Marseille some weeks ago, and L’Equipe reported that some PSG players may have joined them in chanting the homophobic slurs. This prompted the LFP to hand out a one-match suspension to four first-team players, revealed to be Achraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele, Layvin Kurzawa, and Randal Kolomuani.
“The club regrets that the Disciplinary Commission has opted for an excessive and collective measure, likely to undermine the work of dialogue and prevention undertaken by the Club with associations, institutions, and fans,” the club said in a statement. The club also ruled out any possibility of an appeal, with the players taking responsibility for their actions.
“We’re well aware of the impact of our gestures and words on the public, especially the younger ones who dream of watching a soccer match. We sincerely regret the words we should not have spoken and wish to apologise. In the future, we will do our utmost to be even more exemplary,” the players wrote on social media.
Former PSG player Ander Herrera supports the suspension
In the wake of the one-match ban handed to four PSG players, causing a headache for Luis Enrique this weekend, Ander Herrera showed his support for that decision by liking a post by ESPN on Instagram breaking the news.
Ander Herrera played for PSG – the Paris club that splashed a lot of money on shrewd signings last summer, including Bradley Barcola – between 2019 and 2022 following the expiration of his contract with Manchester United. The Spaniard won several trophies in his first season at the club and was part of the PSG squad that made it into the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2020.
Can PSG overcome Rennes without four first-team players this weekend?
