The situation regarding Paris Saint-Germain and the refereeing continues to be a topic of discussion around French football media outlets. Midfielder Marco Verratti will be having a hearing on March 2nd; as a result, the issue will remain at the forefront.
During a segment on Late Football Club (via Paris Fans), journalist Geoffroy Garétier spoke about the relationship between referees and PSG since the arrival of Qatar Sports Investment in France in 2011.
“Is Paris refereed like the others? No. I tend to say no. Since QSI bought the club almost 11 years ago, there has always been a scent of sulfur when Paris play,” Garétier said.
“And suddenly, additional pressure on the arbitration, which sometimes wanted to participate in the show. I remember the 2012-2013 season, which caused a lot of controversy when Paris, future champion, took 8 direct red cards that season.”
Garétier provided a long list of examples that indicate (that many already know) that referees don’t call the same match for the French giants like the other clubs in Ligue 1.
“You remember, for example, the incredible expulsion of Thiago Silva by Alexandro Castro, which had earned Leonardo his suspension. But there were others, Motta against Ajaccio,” Garétier said.
“And I remember Lavezzi, in Ajaccio, who was sent off at the start of the second half and Clément Turpin came up to him and showed the red card in such a theatrical way that we understood that for him this red card had no not the same meaning as for another player.”
Ligue 1 and French football lack stars, and PSG is the only club that can financially bring these players. So rather than protecting and ensuring that the likes of Neymar Jr., Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé stay fit for television purposes, they choose to let these star players get hacked and whacked.
