PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s ultra fans group on Saturday said Qatari club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi should step down after the French giants’ Champions League elimination by Real Madrid.
“Management resignation,” the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) group wrote on social media, calling for supporters to join them in “showing our dissatisfaction... without violence” during Sunday’s Ligue 1 match against Bordeaux.
For the fourth time in six seasons PSG crashed out in the last 16, self-destructing against 13-time European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday in Spain.
“We know what our return (to the top level) owes to (club) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, there is nothing personal here but it is clear that he is not the man for the job,” the group wrote.
Al-Khelaifi is also chairman of beIN Media Group and Qatar Sports Investments and is involved in running racket sports in Qatar.
“The situation of the club now requires a complete reorganization at all levels and the daily presence of its president,” continued CUP, an umbrella group for various PSG fans groups.
Even though PSG have won seven of their nine Ligue 1 titles under the Qatari owners who took over in 2011, they have repeatedly failed in their European ambitions.
But the capital club have reached the Champions League knockout stage in 10 consecutive seasons, having only previously qualified for the competition five times in their history.
The ultras castigated the club’s lack of direction and sporting director Leonardo for player recruitment described as a “stack of stars who have little or nothing in common” after the signings last year of Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and Georginio Wijnaldum.
The players were also blasted for their lack of commitment.
“Against Bordeaux this Sunday we are going to show our dissatisfaction and we ask all the lovers of the club present to unite in our actions without violence,” added the CUP.
“We will remain mobilized until real major changes are put in place.”
Ligue 1 leaders PSG only have the league title to aim for in a season in which they also suffered an early French Cup exit.
PSG ultras call for Al-Khelaifi to leave after Champions League exit
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PSG ultras call for Al-Khelaifi to leave after Champions League exit
- "Management resignation," the Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) group wrote on social media
- “Nasser Al-Khelaifi, there is nothing personal here but it is clear that he is not the man for the job," the group wrote
Morocco achieve record FIFA ranking, Senegal rise to 12th
- Morocco moved up three spots in the January ranking to eighth
- The 2022 World Cup semifinalists’ previous best was 10th in April 1998
RABAT: Morocco have achieved their highest FIFA men’s world ranking, rising to eighth, despite losing the Africa Cup of Nations final to Senegal, who climbed to 12th on Monday.
Morocco were beaten 1-0 after extra time by Senegal in the decider in Rabat on Sunday, but the hosts had a chance to win the trophy with a last-gasp penalty at the end of regulation time.
However, Brahim Diaz squandered the kick after having to wait some 14 minutes for the Senegal players to return, as they walked off the field to protest the penalty decision.
Morocco moved up three spots in the January ranking to eighth. The 2022 World Cup semifinalists’ previous best was 10th in April 1998.
The highest ranking achieved by an African team was Nigeria’s fifth in April 1994, while Egypt posted the best ranking among Arab nations when they reached ninth in July 2010.
Champions Senegal, who emerged victorious for a second time in the last three editions, moved up seven spots to reach their highest-ever ranking. Their previous best was 17th, achieved in 2024.
The AFCON results have had a huge impact on the ranking of African teams, as several positions have shifted.
Bronze medallists Nigeria (26th) were the team that gained the most points, collecting 79.09 points to move up 12 spots, the same as Cameroon (45th), making them the biggest climbers.
Egypt, who reached the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations, climbed four places to 31st, three spots behind Algeria.
Gabon, who were eliminated in the group stage, lost 44.97 points to become the team that lost the most points, dropping to 86th. Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, suffered the biggest fall, sliding 10 spots to 107th.
European champions Spain kept top spot, ahead of World Cup holders Argentina. France are third, followed by England, Brazil, Portugal and the Netherlands, with no change in the ranking of the top seven teams.
