Fears PSG-Marseille may be abandoned as Adrien Rabiot returns to Parc des Princes | OneFootball

According to a report from L’Équipe, Paris Saint-Germain employees have been asked to prepare in case the match against Olympique de Marseille on Sunday night at the Parc des Princes is abandoned due to fan behaviour.

An employee allegedly told the French outlet that “We were asked to plan for the worst case scenario. The worst? A complete suspension of the match due to reprehensible chants or banners. Failing that we’re planning around a short interruption.”

Le Classique’s are routinely tense games, and past incidents have led to away fans being banned from attending these clashes since 2015. However, this match in particular will be fiery due to Adrien Rabiot’s (29) return to the Parc.

The midfielder, who was born in the suburbs of Paris, trained and made his debut for PSG before leaving his boyhood club in acrimonious circumstances in 2019. Last September, he then crossed the divide and joined PSG’s most hated rivals.

Expectations that Adrien Rabiot and his mother will be targeted

The employee further told L’Équipe, “It’s Rabiot’s return that’s worrying. The fans have been waiting a while for the opportunity to welcome him back in their own special way. And we also know that his mother will be a target.”

PSG have launched an awareness campaign to try and prevent any problems emerging on the night due to chants or banners. On Wednesday night, this saw the club send out a message to its supporters following the victory over Liverpool, “Parisians and English supporters have proven that respect in the stands transcends borders. Let’s show this Sunday that this respect also applies in Paris, inside the Parc des Princes.”

Les Parisiens have also been in discussions with Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) to explain the need for the game to go ahead without any interruptions. While L’Équipe writes that some members of CUP have been educating other fans about not using homophobic chants. However, other insults towards Marseille are expected and Rabiot will likely be targeted.

Plans in place for full-abandonment

On Thursday, local authorities raised concerns that the game would be temporarily suspended due to homophobic chants at a security meeting. L’Équipe writes that managing the departure of fans from the stadium in case of a complete cancellation of the game was discussed.

GFFN | Nick Hartland