A group of Paris Saint-Germain ultras have vowed to boycott all games in the wake of protests against the club’s board, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
WHAT HAPPENED? Disgruntled supporters made their feelings known in the immediate aftermath of the decision to suspend seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi following his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. Messi will not be signing a new contract at Parc des Princes, having seen his commitment to the cause called into question throughout a two-year stint in France, while Brazilian forward Neymar has also attracted unwelcome attention from fans during another injury-hit campaign.
WHAT THEY SAID: The Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) have had enough, saying in a statement released on their social media platforms: “At the end of the meeting between the club’s management and the leaders of the Collectif Ultras Paris, the CUP office decided to completely cease our activities. We will therefore no longer be present at the Parc des Princes or on the move. The latest events at the state of our common relations with management lead us to believe that this is the best and only solution likely to preserve a common future. We are waiting for clear answers from the club on several points in order to possibly review our positions.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The ultras group will not be attending men’s or women’s matches after forming part of the protests against chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi and prominent members of the club’s playing staff outside their Boulogne-Billancourt headquarters last week.
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WHAT NEXT? PSG supporters have taken issue with the performances of certain players – especially those that they feel are not giving their all to the club – while opposition has been expressed towards supposed plans on behalf of the board to acquire Stade de France, rather than fund upgrades to Parc des Princes.
