The clock had just ticked past the 10-minute mark when the rupture within the Parc des Princes became crystal clear.
Lionel Messi had walked towards the Auteuil Stand, normally the home of the Paris Saint-Germain ultras, to take a corner kick. The ultras are not here, though, as they have “ceased activities” — essentially going on strike for the rest of the season. Yet, as Messi made his way over, the whistles and boos started. He had already been heckled every time he touched the ball, but now the noise grew much, much louder.
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The reaction was not surprising — Messi has already been whistled by some fans this season and now, after being suspended by the club for skipping a training session, it was never likely he would receive a unanimously warm ovation.
But as the noise of discontent gathered momentum, there was also a sharp reaction. Beginning on the other side of the ground, in the Boulogne stand, a wave of applause emerged. It morphed into cheers and there were even some echoes of “Messi, Messi, Messi”, the reverential chorus that was pre-eminent at Barcelona and for Argentina, yet rarely heard in the Parc des Princes. This collective support drowned out the whistles.
For the rest of the game, this personality clash reverberated around the ground every time Messi touched the ball, or stood over a set piece. Angry whistles, and adoring crowds. The Parc des Princes was split. There were those here to see Messi, the many who had flocked to Paris in their Messi shirts to see one of the game’s greatest players, and there were those receptive to the disconnect at PSG. Against Ajaccio, that split was laid bare for all to see.
“It’s a bit of a weird situation,” said Messi’s team-mate Renato Sanches, with words that hold greater resonance than perhaps intended. “It’s hard for Messi, for the team, for the club. No player appreciates this kind of moment. But it’s something we can’t control.”
Messi endured a mixed reception on Saturday (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)The noise in the stands did not affect the result: PSG won 5-0, a formality of a result and performance against an Ajaccio side who appeared resigned to their fate before a ball was kicked. With this defeat, their relegation to Ligue 2 was confirmed.
But the two faces on show at the Parc des Princes were difficult to ignore and it felt like a uniquely PSG scenario.
The reality is that the divided Parc was about more than just the recent misdemeanours of Messi. It echoed the disillusionment that some PSG fans have been feeling, not only in light of recent events but also about the identity of their club.
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“The supporters aren’t the same, they’re here to see Neymar and Messi,” says Enzo, the owner of Auberge de la Reine, a pizzeria just around the corner from the Parc des Princes. He is sitting outside with PSG fans Luc and Michel, three hours before kick-off. “There’s not the flags, scarves. There are English, Nordics, Spaniards, Americans, Chinese, Japanese. There isn’t an identity. There are stars.”
Michel and Luc are due to head to the ground for the game but they echo Enzo’s sentiments. They are long-time supporters, based in Paris and have been attending games for decades. Luc keeps a copy of his ticket for the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1996 in his wallet, which PSG won 1-0 against Rapid Wien.
Luc with his European Cup Winners Cup ticketRight now, the club are on course to secure a record-breaking 11th title, a feat that would make PSG the most successful side in French league football history. But they are also doing so against a backdrop of unrest, and questions about the direction of the project under their Qatari owners. It divides the fanbase.
“Some don’t care about the title,” says Luc. “But for me, it’s above everything.”
“We are happy with Qatar,” adds Enzo. “But they want the Champions League and to bring stars. Stars are not a team. They come for the money. The first stars, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Edinson) Cavani, they spoke in the dressing room about playing to win. Today, what does Neymar do? Messi?”
“There’s a soul to PSG,” insists Michel. “We do not have the feeling Messi shares it.”
From left to right: Enzo, Michel and LucThe trio are not alone in feeling this way. Outside the Parc des Princes, Thibault Wauquier is finishing a burger before entering the ground. He’s interrupted by The Athletic. “It’s going badly with the stars,” he says. “Everyone wants renewal. It’s a privilege to have players like Messi and Neymar. But we would like to see more of the city, the original PSG, and see more youngsters play.”
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Paris, of course, has a phenomenal strike rate when it comes to elite talent, something that PSG has not tapped into effectively.
“There is a weariness, a complacency about the title,” adds Wauquier. “But it’s important”
Thibault Wauquier outside the Parc des PrincesBefore the visit of Ajaccio, PSG’s ultras, known as the Collectif Ultras Paris, took the decision to effectively boycott all of the club’s remaining games, across the men’s, women’s and other sports teams. They have, in their words, “ceased activities” following a meeting with the club hierarchy. That decision is in spite of the fact they may miss the run-in to a record title.
Their grievance relates to several issues, which they made clear during a protest earlier this month outside the club’s offices, a stone’s throw from the stadium. These included questions about recruitment, signing “overrated players” and “mercenaries”, but also their opposition to potentially leaving the Parc des Princes — this was after PSG expressed an interest in acquiring the Stade de France. That move has followed an impasse in negotiations with the city council.
The club want to own their own ground but are now having to explore alternatives, which they stress they are doing reluctantly as a last resort. The ultras also contested high ticket prices and, during their protests, criticised not only some star players but also president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
Brothers Mathis and Paul Diot are also finishing their food before making their way into the ground. They are both sporting PSG shirts and have been lifelong fans. However, Mathis says that while they have always attended games, he spent a couple of years away from the club watching Stade Francais, the rugby side based next door to the Parc des Princes. “I lost a little bit of the passion for PSG,” he explains.
“For me, it is identity. Some players like Marco Verratti, Marquinhos, they have the DNA of PSG, but the others, Messi, Neymar — these are players who are not really Parisians. For me in any case, they have to give themselves for the club and for the shirt.”
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They sympathise with the ultras’ stance. “I understand the disappointment of the fans and the fact that the ultras are not here today and boycotting the game,” says Mathis. “Because the players don’t necessarily respect the club.”
“But also the ticket prices,” interjects Paul. “Of the seats compared to before, the price has increased. When we come to see PSG, we pay a lot and players don’t run…” PSG had lost three of their previous four home games before Ajaccio’s visit.
Those often willing to pay the higher prices will be those here to see the stars. There are many different nationalities attending the games. There are fans from across the world, and The Athletic speaks to fans from Argentina to Germany, and the UK as well.
The super talents are the draw for people such as Rafaad Ali and Kasim Khan from Manchester. Kasim supports Liverpool, while Rafaad, rather than a team, specifically, is a big Messi fan. “I’ve literally been watching Messi since he started at Barcelona,” he says. “So I’ve been going to Barca games before. This is the first PSG game.”
“We booked tickets and then heard of his suspension,” says Kasim. “We were like… ‘Oh no! With no Neymar too (out with an injury), it’s bad to worse!’ But it’s brilliant he’s back.”
All of the big clubs attract international attention, and their tickets are highly coveted. PSG are not unique in that sense. But with the profile of their individual talents, that element is more pronounced, and evident from those milling around before kick, dipping into the club shop and preparing for the game. “We’re football tourists, I guess,” says Hounslow-based fan Martin Perrott, who has travelled with partner Yvonne Lee. They are Brentford supporters. “We wanted to see the front three and potentially see Messi. And have a weekend in Paris!”
“This is the third time we’ve tried to get here,” adds Yvonne. “I’m not going to lie, I’m here for Messi. We’ve seen Ronaldo.”
Yvonne Lee and Martin Perrott had travelled from England to see MessiFor them, PSG is an appealing destination but they see they are not alone. “Walking around here, you can see a lot of people that come like us, as a tourist,” reflects Martin. “It’s a bit like Disneyland for football. A bucket-list tick. Parents bringing their kids to see Messi.
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“At the end of the day, it is entertainment. It is a spectacle.”
For many, the chance to see Messi was not going to be overshadowed by the unhappiness of recent weeks for the Argentine. Against Ajaccio, that would manifest itself in a split between those here for the show, and those who feel they are losing out as a result. This is the reality of modern PSG. Saturday was a game PSG needed to win to keep second-placed Lens at bay and restore a six-point gap at the summit. It was also a game that would start with Spider-Man jumping from the top of the ground to deliver a team-sheet.
Spider-Man, a longtime devotee of French football (Photo by Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images)There is sympathy from those travelling for the performance: “I don’t think PSG’s way is the way to be successful in football, you need a bit of money but also balance and philosophy,” says Kasim. “It’s good when you’re playing FIFA and to see all these players. But for the PSG fans, I guess they probably get frustrated by this.”
PSG are looking to change their direction of travel and build a project around Mbappe and younger French talent going forwards. Messi, for his part, is set to depart this summer, and his punishment for missing training is seen as a line-in-the-sand moment. That might change the dynamics of a matchday, and help to fix the disconnect.
For now, though, the stars will continue to attract the attention, and the fans’ concerns will remain — even with another league title on the horizon.
There are divided sentiments wherever you look in Paris. And that was reflected by Messi, and the terraces, on Saturday.
(Top photo by Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images)
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