Despite enjoying a near-perfect season on the pitch, Paris Saint-Germain is dealing with a major internal crisis on the eve of its biggest game so far.
The runaway French league leader should be full of confidence as it prepares to welcome Chelsea at the Parc des Princes for the first leg of their Champions league last-16 matchup on Tuesday. PSG is unbeaten in its last 44 domestic matches, and key players Javier Pastore and Marco Verratti have recovered from injuries in time.
Instead, a poisonous atmosphere enveloped the club over the weekend after defender Serge Aurier was suspended for insulting coach laurent Blanc and some of his teammates in an online video.
During a live session with fans on social media, Aurier abused Blanc and insulted Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Angel Di Maria. Aurier has apologized but could soon be placed on the transfer list.
Blanc refused on Monday to say if Aurier would play under him again.
“That guy, that boy, two years ago I commit myself to make him come to Paris, and what I saw yesterday that’s all the thank you I got,” Blanc said at a news conference. “I think that’s pitiful. “He penalized himself, and it’s also bad for the club, it’s harming the club’s image.”
Blanc said the incident could have happened at any other club.
“I don’t think any club is immune from those things, especially with social media,” he said. “It’s every time more difficult to control everything, especially communication wise.”
The video left the club’s Qatari owners unimpressed, and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said he would not allow anyone to get away with damaging PSG’s image.
Aurier has been a key player for Blanc, and is widely regarded as one of the best right backs playing in Europe. But this isn’t his first run-in with authorities, as he was suspended for three matches last year for insulting a Champions league referee on social media.
Against Chelsea, he is likely to be replaced either by Marquinhos or Gergory Van der Wiel. Ibrahimovic and Di Maria are expected to start up front, with lucas Moura and Edinson Cavani in competition for a starting position on the left flank of the attack.
Meanwhile, the central-defensive pairing of Kurt Zouma and John Terry also has been integral to Chelsea’s improvement under coach Guus Hiddink, but it has been split up.
Zouma was ruled out for the season last week with a knee ligament injury, and Terry hurt his hamstring and was substituted during the 5-1 win over Newcastle in the Premier league on Saturday. Terry trained on Monday but if he isn’t declared fit, Chelsea likely will throw together Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic at center back to handle the threat of Ibrahimovic.
Cesar Azpilicueta would be moved to right back to accommodate Baba Rahman on the left.
Also striker Diego Costa is back to his best, and that spells danger for PSG. He appeared to be more interested in fighting than scoring at the start of the season, but since Jose Mourinho departed, Costa has been more focused on his primary job and scored eight goals in 10 games.
Elsewhere, Zenit St. Petersburg travel to Benfica.