In a dramatic Ligue 1 encounter, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Lyon at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, leading to tensions between players on the field. PSG defender Achraf Hakimi expressed his frustrations regarding a provocative celebration by Lyon’s young star, Endrick, after he scored the opening goal just seven minutes into the match.
The match shifted momentum when Endrick’s tally was followed by a controversial dance celebration aimed at the PSG ultras, igniting boos and intensifying the atmosphere among the home supporters. Hakimi, visibly upset by Endrick’s antics, confronted him on the pitch soon after the celebration took place.
Post-match, Hakimi elaborated on his sentiments, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus on the game rather than engaging in theatrics. He expressed his belief that players should prioritize football over distractions that could provoke opposition supporters.
“[Why did I tell Endrick to stay calm?] We are not going to focus on the opposing players. I wanted my team to stay focused, and for him to stop doing things towards our supporters. Let him play football, especially as he is a good player. But when he does things that are not related to football, it can annoy me, especially since we were losing.”
“I wanted him to stop doing things toward our supporters. He should just play football, especially because he is a good player. But when he does things that are not related to football, it can annoy me — especially since we were losing at the time.”