It takes an otherworldly level of integrity – or delusion – to withdraw collective fan fervour on the cusp of a ninth Ligue 1 title in 11 years which will bring a record 11th top flight crown. But voilà the Collectif Ultras Paris (Cup) who are not a happy band of Paris Saint-Germain supporters.
A few days after a team missing Lionel Messi won 3-1 at Troyes to extend its lead at the top to six points, Cup's top brass met PSG executives to thrash out a few issues such as the proposed move to the Stade de France, the price of tickets inside their beloved Parc des Princes and having their ticket allocation for the game at Troyes cut.
It didn't end with peace pipes.
Cue wailing and gnashing of teeth for the group representing some 2,000 diehards. They have opted for a total shutdown of their activities in the Auteuil stand at the Parc des Princes until further notice.
A Cup statement said the vocal support for the women's football team and the handball teams would no longer be heard.
Communiqué du 10 Mai 2023.@PSG_inside @A_N_Supporters pic.twitter.com/ZTwHjE7hVp
— Collectif Ultras Paris (@Co_Ultras_Paris) May 10, 2023
"The situation, which we consider very serious in several respects, should not be underestimated and we do not intend to compromise on our freedoms," added the Cup.
"We are waiting for clear answers from the club on several points in order to possibly review our positions."
In terms of geopolitics, the Cup stands on dodgy ground. The club, under the Qatar Sport Investments group, has essentially annexed the Ligue 1 trophy.
There is a long waiting list for season tickets and though the ultras do provide a joyous din and boast about enshrining the values and traditions of the club, they appear to overestimate their potency in the industrial football complex.
Between its creation in the early 1970s and QSI's arrival in 2011, PSG won two top flight titles as well as eight Coupe de France crowns and three Coupe de la Ligue trophies.
Under QSI? Eight Ligue 1s. Six wins in both the Coupe de la Ligue and the Coupe de France have followed. There have also been nine French Super Cup triumphs in the QSI reign compared with two victories in the period before their investments.
Does it really need to be explained?
Investment
QSI have injected squillions into luring some of the world's best players and coaches to the French capital on eye-rolling salaries. For the fans to demand the resignation of the director of the outfit that has brought such success? Bless.
Something will be sorted out over the summer and Cup will probably be back onside by the start of the 2023/24 season. Utterly compelling theatrics though in the embers of a season in which fans have been able to watch Kylian Mbappé – the top marksman at the 2022 World Cup and in Ligue 1.
𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦 ⚔️@KMbappe or @LacazetteAlex – who ends as this season's top scorer? 👀 pic.twitter.com/Cts2kDdGbE
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) May 11, 2023
Supporters have also been able to feast on admittedly mercurial Messi – the captain of the World Cup-winning team Argentina and the man who was judged the best player at the tournament in Qatar
Whether Messi will be in the PSG colours come next season remains in doubt. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was back dinking and jinking in training on Monday after being suspended on 1 May for an unauthorised jaunt to Saudi Arabia to rake in a few more millions as a tourism ambassador. Rumours have circulated since about a 400 million euro three-year deal to play at Al Hillal in Saudi.
Regrets
After a mea culpa on social media for his trip, Messi will take his place in the starting line-up on Saturday night at the Parc des Princes against Ajaccio.
"We'll need to be wary about being caught by the counterattack," said PSG boss Christophe Galtier ahead of the clash. "We'll need to take the initiative."
So will Ajaccio if they are to maintain their slender hopes of another campaign in the top flight. The Corsicans came up from Ligue 2 last season and will head back that way if they fail to take all three points.
Quite likely for a side that has only won once in the last 10 games.
Ajaccio boss Olivier Pantaloni accepted the Ligue 1 gig was over when his team went down 3-0 at home to fellow strugglers Auxerre on 9 April.
"I'm not going to try to find words to persuade the fans that we're still in the running to stay up," lamented the 56-year-old Frenchman on Prime Video after the defeat.
"We are condemned to Ligue 2," said Pantoni.
"We'll have the pride to finish the season as well as possible and we will try to show a good image of our team."
Following Lens's 2-1 win on Friday night over Reims to cut PSG's advantage to three points, an Ajaccio victory at the Parc des Princes would be gloriously unexpected and potentially extend the intrigue over the destination of the 2022/2023 Ligue 1 trophy.
Should PSG lose the title at the death, the distress would add some delicious histrionics to the melodrama.
