PARIS (AP) — France defender Jules Koundé said “firm” action should be taken against Paris Saint-Germain fans who unfurled an insulting banner aimed at Adrien Rabiot and his mother in the game against Marseille.
Adrien and Véronique Rabiot were the subject of an insulting message on a large banner clearly visible in the Auteuil end of the Parc des Princes in Sunday’s Ligue 1 match.
“I really feel for Adrien. There are limits and I think the limits were clearly breached,” said Koundé, who is Rabiot’s France teammate. “It’s not just the player who is targeted, but the person and his family. It’s unacceptable.”
Rabiot’s late father was also insulted during the game.
“I obviously hope that (the authorities ) will be firm about this because it’s unacceptable what happened,” said Koundé, who plays at right back for Barcelona. “These kinds of chants and banners don’t have their place inside a stadium.”
Koundé and Rabiot are set to play for France at Croatia on Thursday in the first leg of a Nations League quarterfinal.
Rabiot’s return to PSG
Paris-born Rabiot made more than 200 appearances for PSG from 2012-19 and the midfielder has been one of Marseille’s best players this season.
His decision to join Marseille after leaving Juventus was seen as a betrayal by PSG fans, and they targeted him throughout the match.
The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, gave his support to Rabiot and condemned the vile banner and chanting, while Rabiot responded with a message on Instagram aimed at the perpetrators.
“Insulting a mother, and a dead father…” Rabiot wrote. “You have to pay for everything one day.”
His mother, who is also his agent, told Radio France on Monday that she will be filing an official complaint.
“I don’t understand why the match wasn’t stopped,” she said. “I don’t understand why nobody is outraged. Why are some matches stopped and not others?”
Referee did not stop the game
There was also homophobic and racist chanting during the French league’s showcase match, which was broadcast worldwide.
French campaign group Rouge Direct — which translates as “Straight red card” — urged politicians and soccer authorities to ensure such chants are met with severe punishment.
French referees have the power to stop play if there are homophobic and racist chants in stadiums.
But Sunday’s was not halted at any point by referee Clément Turpin — considered France’s No. 1 and among the best in Europe — despite a request over the stadium loud speaker to stop the derogatory chanting. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
