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PSG accused of taking the p*** out of Ligue 1 by Le Havre President after leaving out Kylian Mbappe and two other first-team stars for 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened Clermont

7 months ago 49
  • PSG left several of their top starts out of the starting XI as they hosted Clermont
  • Les Parisiens went 1-0 down before being rescued by a late Goncalo Ramos goal
  • Why this is the end for Erik ten Hag at Man United - Listen to the It's All Kicking Off podcast 

By Adrian Bishop

Published: 15:14 BST, 7 April 2024 | Updated: 15:47 BST, 7 April 2024

PSG have been accused of lacking respect for Ligue 1 after resting several top stars for their clash with Clermont.

With the club nine points clear at the top of the league, Luis Enrique fielded a heavily rotated side to take on relegation-threatened Clermont at the Parc Des Princes.

Kylian Mbappe, Marquinhos, and Achraf Hakimi were all named on the bench for the Parisian club, with first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also left out of the starting XI.


The club's decision to rest several key players ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Barcelona almost came back to bite them, however.

Habib Keita netted his first goal of the season to give the struggling visitors the lead in the first-half before Mbappe came off the bench to assist Goncalo Ramos who bailed his side out with an equaliser in the closing stages.

PSG have been accused of having 'contempt' for Ligue 1 after fielding a rotated side for their clash with Clermont

With a number of key players rested for their upcoming Champions League fixture Les Parisiens fell behind against the relegation-threatened side

Kylian Mbappe was eventually introduced from the bench and assisted Goncalo Ramos as they rescued a point

Despite coming away with a point, Clermont remain seven points adrift of safety in Ligue 1 in a relegation battle that Le Havre also find themselves embroiled in.

Speaking following the game, Le Havre president Jean-Michel Roussier insisted the league leaders' decision to leave out their top stars was a sign of 'contempt' for the domestic competition.

'It is an expression of huge contempt towards the French league,' Roussier told L'Equipe

'I've constructed a text to send to Ligue 1 to express how I feel seeing PSG making fun of our league. Apparently, all of that has been validated by a lot of people. They're taking the p*** out of people,' he added.

Having avoided defeat on Sunday, Les Parisiens' focus remains firmly on the visit of Barcelona on Wednesday night.

Victory over two legs against the Blaugrana would set up a semi-final clash with the winner of Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund as Mbappe attempts to secure a fairytale ending to what looks set to be his final season at the club.

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