PARIS – Paris Saint-Germain’s ultra-fans group yesterday said Qatari club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi should step down after the French giants’ Champions League elimination by Real Madrid.
“Management resignation,” the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) group wrote on social media, calling for supporters to join them in “showing our dissatisfaction... without violence” during today’s Ligue 1 match against Bordeaux.
For the fourth time in six seasons, PSG crashed out in the last 16, self-destructing against 13-time European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday in Spain.
“We know what our return (to the top level) owes to (club) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, there is nothing personal here but it is clear that he is not the man for the job,” the group wrote.
Al-Khelaifi is also chairman of beIN Media Group and Qatar Sports Investments and is involved in running racket sports in Qatar.
“The situation of the club now requires a complete reorganisation at all levels and the daily presence of its president,” continued CUP, an umbrella group for various PSG fans groups.
Even though PSG have won seven of their nine Ligue 1 titles under the Qatari owners who took over in 2011, they have repeatedly failed in their European ambitions.
But the capital club have reached the Champions League knockout stage in 10 consecutive seasons, having only previously qualified for the competition five times in their history.
The ultras castigated the club’s lack of direction and sporting director Leonardo for player recruitment described as a “stack of stars who have little or nothing in common” after the signings last year of Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and Georginio Wijnaldum.
The players were also blasted for their lack of commitment.
“Against Bordeaux today we are going to show our dissatisfaction and we ask all the lovers of the club present to unite in our actions without violence,” added the CUP.
“We will remain mobilised until real major changes are put in place.”
Ligue 1 leaders PSG only have the league title to aim for in a season in which they also suffered an early French Cup exit. – AFP, March 13, 2022
