Luis Suarez and Cesc Fabregas have responded to their close friends and former teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar being booed by Paris Saint-Germain fans.
The two PSG stars were booed with their every touch of the ball during Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash against Bordeaux, with Neymar even whistled after scoring his side’s second goal in the 3-0 win.
The French capital club were left stunned as they were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday night against Real Madrid with a late collapse in the game.
A quickfire second half hat-trick from Karim Benzema turned the tie in the hosts' favour with a comeback described as "magic" by home boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash against lowly Bordeaux was Mauricio Pochettino’s side’s first match since the capitulation against the Spanish giants, and their fans vented their frustration.
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The match took place a day after PSG ultras called on president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to resign following the latest European humbling for their club.
The ultras have called for meaningful change in the club’s board of directors, a month on from their major protest at a Ligue 1 clash in which they blasted the ‘overpaid mercenaries’ on their books and attacked the board.
PSG ultras chanted against the board and for fundamental change in their running throughout the match, but it was their displeasure at Messi and Neymar that was most notable.
Those two players were booed every time they touched the ball, with their nine teammates spared similar treatment.
Indeed, it was notable how Kylian Mbappe – who is due to leave PSG as a free agent this summer – was applauded and cheered every time the ball went in his direction.
Messi and Neymar were deemed by the fans to be most culpable not only for the side’s loss against Real Madrid, but as representing a club where priorities are not based on success and full commitment.
Those two formed a fearsome attacking trident alongside Suarez during their time together at Barcelona, and the Uruguayan took to Instagram to show his support to his two former teammates.
Suarez posted on his Instagram stories: “As always, football has no memories.
“Always with you. I love you very much.”
Another former Barca teammate of the stars, Cesc Fabregas, took to Twitter to write a similar message.
“Football has no memory whatsoever… it’s a shame. Always with you brothers.”
This season’s European collapse brought back horror memories for PSG of their 6-1 defeat in Barcelona in 2017 and blowing a two-goal advantage over Manchester United in 2019.
Al-Khelaifi became the new president and CEO of PSG in October 2011 and despite a multitude of domestic trophies since, the club have yet to find success on the European stage.
Their best performance in the competition was in the 2019/20 campaign, when they reached the final under Thomas Tuchel but fell short in the final against Bayern Munich.
