European Football Thread

[Lineker]

Quote

Paris St-Germain's Idrissa Gueye refused to play in a match to avoid wearing a rainbow symbol in support of LGBTQ+ rights, BBC Sport understands.

The 32-year-old former Aston Villa and Everton midfielder was absent from Saturday's 4-0 win over Montpellier.

PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino said only that Gueye missed the game for "personal reasons".

The French Football Federation (FFF) has reportedly written to Gueye to clarify why he was absent.

BBC Sport has approached Gueye's representatives for comment.

Crystal Palace's Cheikhou Kouyate and Watford's Ismaila Sarr have posted on social media in apparent support of their Senegal team-mate's stance.

Kouyate posted a picture of himself alongside Gueye on Instagram, with a caption calling Gueye "a real man". Watford winger Sarr posted a picture of him and Gueye accompanied by three heart emojis and the caption "100%".

In response to Sarr's post, Watford reiterated their commitment to equality and diversity, adding "this includes the willingness to offer further education and support to any of its employees".

Homosexuality is illegal in Senegal and punishable by prison sentences of up to five years.

For the second successive season, clubs in France have been invited to mark 17 May's International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia by wearing rainbow-design numbers on the back of their shirts.

In addition to missing Saturday's win over Montpellier, Gueye, who arrived at PSG for £30m in July 2019, missed last year's show of solidarity citing gastroenteritis, according to Le Parisien newspaper, who first reported the reason for his absence.

The AFP news agency said on Wednesday it had seen a letter from the FFF's ethics board calling on Gueye to explain why he missed Saturday's game.

The letter, says AFP, calls for him to "issue a public apology" or to say that the rumours he refused to play are "unfounded".

The letter reportedly adds if he did refuse to play he would be "validating discriminatory behaviour".

PSG said on Wednesday that they were "very proud to wear this shirt".

"The biggest stars of world football were on the field on Saturday and expressed the club's commitment to the fight against homophobia and all forms of discrimination," it added.

Gueye's stance has been supported by prominent politicians in Senegal.

The country's president Macky Sall wrote on Twitter that Gueye's Muslim beliefs must be respected, while sport minister Matar Ba wrote that Gueye was backed by his country's people, alongside a picture of the midfielder on pilgrimage to Mecca.

 

 

[Adam]

Horrible stuff. He even refused to stand up against gastroenteritis last year!? Baffling. Glad he doesn't play for Everton anymore.

Kouyate should be ashamed of himself too with what he's said.

[METALMAN]

On 30/04/2022 at 19:43, Malenko said:

I know you use the term 5 major European leagues because it's common usage but I really dislike that "concept". The french league barely won anything. The dutch and portuguese leagues have a lot more European titles and plenty of other leagues have similar records if not better than the french. Yes, PSG have a ridiculous budget but I really don't see how they could ever be in the same conversation as Spain, England, Italy and Germany.

Scottish clubs have more European trophies than French clubs 

[The Lusophone]

5 hours ago, Adam said:

Horrible stuff. He even refused to stand up against gastroenteritis last year!? Baffling. Glad he doesn't play for Everton anymore.

Kouyate should be ashamed of himself too with what he's said.

And if it is a religious objection, he's awful selective about what parts of his religion he applies - pretty sure Everton had both alcohol and betting shirt sponsors when he was there.

[Liam]

5 hours ago, Adam said:

Horrible stuff. He even refused to stand up against gastroenteritis last year!? Baffling.

He used gastroenteritis as a means to get out of it last year.

[Adam]

22 minutes ago, Liam said:

He used gastroenteritis as a means to get out of it last year.

Not sure how I misread that!

[Szumi]

Mario Balotelli still got it 

 

 

[DavidMarrio]

He'd be getting volleyed in the leg before getting a shot off if that was Sunday League

[Baddar]

I am 90% sure Ruud Van Nistelrooy and his family were crossing the road going the opposite way to us this afternoon and I missed my chance to at least say hi to one of my favourite players ever.

[Twist]

6 hours ago, Baddar said:

I am 90% sure Ruud Van Nistelrooy and his family were crossing the road going the opposite way to us this afternoon and I missed my chance to at least say hi to one of my favourite players ever.

If he was with his family then you made the right choice not to talk to him.

[METALMAN]

So I've obviously not being paying attention to Ligue UHHHHHHn because it is a farmers league that has won fewer European trophies than Scotland but I am curious - was Lionel Messi actually any good in his first season with Qatar SG?

[The Lusophone]

22 minutes ago, METALMAN said:

So I've obviously not being paying attention to Ligue UHHHHHHn because it is a farmers league that has won fewer European trophies than Scotland but I am curious - was Lionel Messi actually any good in his first season with Qatar SG?

Not really no. 11 goals, 14 assists, 36 games (6, 14 and 26 in the league). Decent return for anyone not named Lionel Messi.

But overall PSG have been disappointing. Round of 16 exists in both the Champions League and French Cups, struggles with Pochettino's tactics (he wants to press but no one his forwards want to) and off-field speculation on various people's futures - Neymar, Mbappe, Poch, Director of Football Leonardo and others - have provided big distractions.

[Moses Julep]

7 hours ago, METALMAN said:

So I've obviously not being paying attention to Ligue UHHHHHHn because it is a farmers league that has won fewer European trophies than Scotland but I am curious - was Lionel Messi actually any good in his first season with Qatar SG?

He just looks slow and tired and like he doesn't care, which he probably doesn't. Then once in a blue moon, he wakes up and does something Messi-esque. It just really feels he's treating this as early retirement, a bit like say an Henry or a Gerrard in the MLS. Obviously more talented than pretty much every player out there, but just can't be bothered. 

[Benjamin]

Isn't he heading to the MLS next season anyway? Apparently Inter Miami (where he'll get a stake in ownership as well?)?

[gunnar hendershow]

The MLS thing hasn't been confirmed yet, and plenty of people have speculated for years he wants to finish his career in Argentina. But I think it's pretty evident he went from being the happiest man in the world with a club completely built around him at Barcelona to just trying to fit in to a squad at PSG. I'd argue tactically there are too many cooks in the kitchen with he, Mbappe, and Neymar.

[Matt]

I mean he did fine with Sewer Rat and Neymar. I very much imagine he just doesn't give a toss.

 

I can definitely see him going to Newell's Old Boys after the world cup (well, more likely summer '23).

[METALMAN]

wow

 

 

[Bobfoc]

That's like something out of a Total War game. Terrible scenes.

[Lineker]

Cripes. French fans are crazy.

[King Ellis]

29 minutes ago, Lineker said:

Cripes. French fans are crazy.

It's spelt Crêpes.