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Paris Saint-Germain returned home Sunday to fierce boos, jeers and whistles after again turning itself into a global laughingstock with a preposterous 29-minute Champions League collapse against Real Madrid last Wednesday.
It was only seven months ago that new signings Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi were lined up to roaring applause in the middle of the Parc des Princes pitch for the club's opening Ligue 1 match of the season, but on Sunday against Bordeaux — despite a 3-0 win that increased their league lead to 15 points with 10 matches remaining — the vast majority of the team, particularly Messi and Neymar, was given hell from start to finish.
"Our Paris Saint-Germain deserves people who serve it, not people who are served by it," PSG's ultras said in a statement before the game while calling for the resignations of club president Nasser Al Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo.
Mbappe getting applauded while Messi and Neymar get booed by the PSG fans lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/bAjOe6k7aw
— Albi (@albiFCB7) March 13, 2022
Kylian Mbappé, who scored both of PSG's goals in the 3-2 aggregate defeat to Real, was applauded. He was the team's best attacker in both legs, scored the opening goal Sunday and supporters obviously want him to sign a contract extension.
⚽️ ¡GOOOOOOL!@KMbappe le da la ventaja al PSG@PSG_espanol 1-0 @girondins ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/D44zTmhwsV
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) March 13, 2022
Neymar got the second, but PSG ultras whistled his every touch, booed the goal and the Brazilian didn't celebrate it. Neymar is currently contracted through 2025 on a salary that pays him $36.5 million per season.
At the age of 30, Neymar's already a shadow of the player that was once considered a Ballon d'Or contender. He's had five seasons with PSG now, but it's telling that his goal contribution has steadily dwindled across all competitions from 28 to 23 to 19 to 17 to just five this campaign.
⚽️ ¡GOOOOOOL!@neymarjr aumenta la ventaja del PSG@PSG_espanol 2-0 @girondins ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/gKwLQHOXgw
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) March 13, 2022
Messi's every touch was heretically jeered. It hurts the soul to see it. He's been honest about his struggles to adapt in Paris and was a non-factor over the course of both legs against Real. Still, you don't boo Messi. You might as well rip out your own heart and yell obscenities at it.
He still has one year left on his PSG contract with an option for a third. You'd be a fool to doubt Messi in a World Cup season, and that's what the 2022-23 campaign represents. He'll be back.
One of those MESSI moments!
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) March 13, 2022
Of the other new signings, Donnarumma was shielded from the criticism that would've rained down on him (the Italian was responsible for Real's first goal) by dropping to the bench in favor of Keylor Navas.
Wijnaldum didn't get off the bench in either game against Real (clearly showing how highly Mauricio Pochettino rates the player despite an annual contract of $11.5 million), but Pochettino was nice enough to throw him to the wolves Sunday. His every touch was booed.
Hakimi was cheered — fans have enjoyed his displays at right back this season – and applauded when taken off in the 88th minute.
Sergio Ramos has cleverly remained absent from it all with a series of muscle and calf problems. The 35-year-old never made a Champions League appearance and hasn't played since Jan. 23. He's making $26 million this season.
In the end, Sergio Ramos always wins.
