"Football is a collective sport" - Blaise Matuidi slams PSG fans for booing Lionel Messi and Neymar
Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Blaise Matuidi has slammed the club's fans for booing Lionel Messi and Neymar in their match against Bordeaux. The duo were met with a string of boos in their 3-0 win in Ligue 1 on 13 March.
This came after the French club disappointingly crashed out of the Champions League race. The Ligue 1 giants were thumped by Real Madrid in the second tie of the R16 in the Champions League. Karim Benzema scored a brilliant hat-trick in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeau to help Los Blancos overcome a 2-0 deficit.
Matuidi sur les sifflets contre Messi et Neymar:
« Il se joue à onze, pas à deux. On perd ensemble et on gagne ensemble. Dans ses années les plus fastes, Messi a pu faire des différences incroyables, mais on oublie les joueurs qu’il avait autour de lui. »
Via @RMCsport
Fans of the French club booed Messi and Neymar for not being impactful enough in Europe's most prestigious tournament.
However, Matuidi has defended both players, saying that the game of football is a team game and not of a few individuals. The 34-year-old emphasized that the team wins and loses together, suggesting that fans should take a step back and stop booing their players.
The French international expressed his views on in a conversation with Le Parisian.
He said:
''The supporters expressed their disappointment in this way, but you have to take a step back. Even if two or three individuals always stand out in a team, football is a collective sport. It is played with eleven, not two. We lose together, and we win together.”
He added:
“In his most prosperous years, Messi was able to make incredible differences, but we forget the players he had around him. The whole PSG team lost. There was no need to stigmatize some players more than others.”
Paris Saint-Germain have dominated the domestic league for years and are doing it this time as well with a 12-point lead at the top. However, their dream of winning the Champions League still seems far away.
They signed the likes of Messi, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnaruma ahead of the ongoing season, expecting them to fulfill the club's dream. However, their dreams were shattered in the Spanish capital, leading to their early exit from the tournament.
Inter Miami reportedly ready to poach Messi if he leaves PSG
According to Goal (via Football Espana), Inter Miami are planning a move for the Argentine superstar if he leaves PSG this summer. Inter Miami owner David Beckham has reportedly had contact with the former Barcelona man as well.
Leo Messi is likely to leave PSG in 2023, and Inter Miami are already working for his arrival.
— @sport https://t.co/TljfBu4dV2
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has not had a good time playing for the French club since leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2021. He has scored just two goals in 18 appearances in Ligue 1 so far, making 11 assists.