Lionel Messi and Neymar were each booed during Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 home fixture against Bordeaux earlier this season. Days removed from the club’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 elimination to Real Madrid, a multitude of PSG supporters took out their frustration on the two star forwards for the early exit in the competition.
In speaking to Urbana Play 104.3 FM, Angel Di Maria took a look back on the match, where he noted that the boos and whistles did not agitate Messi.
“The best player in the world whistled, it’s hard to believe,” Di Maria said. “But, here at the club, people, the ultras are demanding, they are very passionate and they see the best players arrive, a team and we are eliminated in the eight final of the Champions League, it is normal that they are disappointed. It happens everywhere. Here, it happens with the best in the world.
“Leo does not pay attention, it’s a detail, it’s football. We know that it is like that, it must be like that. We have to be strong. That’s football, these things happen.”
Boos and whistles have been heard in subsequent Ligue 1 fixtures at the Parc des Princes, but they have not been as tense as they were during PSG’s win over Bordeaux.
Since the match, Messi and Neymar have chipped in for key goal contributions in Ligue 1. The Argentine has reached 13 assists in league play, while Neymar has upped his goal contributions total to 18 this season.
