Once allies, Anne Hidalgo and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi are now at war over the situation surrounding the Parc des Princes. As the conflict drags on, the two sides pass the buck. The situation has become delicate, with PSG’s management no longer closing the door on a move if the stadium is not sold.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi and Anne Hidalgo are at loggerheads. And yet, just a few years ago, the two managers would rub shoulders during PSG matches at the Parc des Princes, the source of the conflict today. The conflict began in November 2022, when Al-Khelaïfi took advantage of the World Cup to attack Paris City Council. “Our first option is to stay at the Parc des Princes, but I don’t think the City Council wants us to stay. They’re putting pressure on us to leave,” said the PSG president.
Both sides pass the buck
These comments deeply offended the Mayor of Paris. “Anne Hidalgo is very demanding when it comes to loyalty. The bluntness and excessive nature of Nasser’s statements are not faithful to the relationship they had,” confided one of her close friends to Le Parisien. But on the other side of the argument, the criticism is directed at Hidalgo. “With him, everything is based on loyalty. She agreed to negotiate and sell. She said one thing in private and another thing in public. That’s not acceptable,” confided the Al-Khelaïfi clan.
“Nasser has made mistakes“
But for someone close to the matter, the PSG president has a share of the responsibility. “Nasser made two strategic mistakes. The first was to put a gun to Anne Hidalgo’s head. Anyone who tried to do that bit their fingers off. More seriously, he put the issue on the public agenda, forcing everyone to freeze their positions,” he confided. Today, the situation has reached an impasse and contact has broken down. A move by PSG is in the pipeline.
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