Adrien Rabiot: Marseille condemn ‘personal attacks’ on midfielder in PSG defeat

Marseille have condemned the “personal attacks” aimed at midfielder Adrien Rabiot and his family during the 3-1 defeat at Paris St-Germain on Sunday.

The match at Parc des Princes was overshadowed by homophobic and racist chants – referencing Marseille’s large Arab population – from some PSG fans, as well as banners directed at Rabiot and his family.

Rabiot alleged PSG fans insulted his father, who died in 2019. The player’s mother and agent, Veronique Rabiot, has lodged a complaint.

“The personal attacks, particularly targeting Adrien Rabiot and his family, are despicable and unacceptable,” Marseille said.

“The club, which wishes to offer its full support and solidarity to its midfielder and his loved ones, announces that it joins the complaint filed against unknown persons by Adrien Rabiot’s family.”

The club said they will “continue to be uncompromising and inflexible against any insulting remarks against the club, its management, its employees or its supporters”.

The Paris-born France midfielder made 227 appearances for PSG between 2012 and 2019, and joined rivals Marseille after leaving Juventus last summer.

French referees can stop play if supporters chant homophobic or racist slurs inside stadiums, but referee Clement Turpin did not.

“I don’t understand why the match wasn’t stopped,” Rabiot’s mother told Radio France.

“I don’t understand why nobody is outraged. Why are some matches stopped and not others?”