Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto (26) spoke to AFP about the tumultuous situation at the Parisian club. In this interview, she discusses PSG’s internal management and the difficult departure of coach Fabrice Abriel (45), pointing to a climate of “manipulation” and instability.
Katoto “There was manipulation and lack of respect”.
“I expected it to end badly, but not this badly. There was manipulation and a lack of respect: I was reproached for my reaction, and I blame myself because I still had a few days to go… But I reacted to yet another lack of respect, and I shouldn’t have.
Fabrice Abriel
It was hard for Fabrice Abriel, but also for Jocelyn and Gérard Prêcheur. I knew from the start that it was going to happen like that, he wanted to do things in a way that reflected his values, he didn’t want to change for the club. When you see how unstable it is, you can’t always say it’s the coach’s fault. I’ve had three coaches in three seasons, it’s a mess you can’t imagine.
Since the Kheira Hamraoui affair (aged 35), the Paris Saint-Germain women’s team has been in deep crisis, marked by internal tensions and chronic instability. The attack on the midfielder in November 2021 revealed the fragility of the dressing room, dividing the group and creating a lasting climate of mistrust. Episodes of harassment, suspicions of manipulation and clumsy management left their mark, preventing the club from regaining the serenity it needed to perform.
This troubled period was prolonged by a succession of contested choices, such as the change of captaincy that pitted Grace Geyoro (27) against Fabrice Abriel (45), generating new tensions and threatening the group’s stability. In sporting terms, the team has continued to disappoint, with early elimination from the Champions League, a lack of trophies and, most recently, a French Cup final loss to Paris FC, followed by the sacking of the coach.
In this context, the case of Marie-Antoinette Katoto (26) illustrates the contradictions in the club’s policy. Despite a serious injury and lacklustre performances, the management opted to keep its star player, a symbol of the club’s attachment to its historical leaders, but also of its two-speed management system, in which some players are supported through thick and thin, while others are pushed towards the exit.
This merry-go-round of coaches – three in three seasons – and the lack of a clear direction have put the PSG women’s team in a cycle of instability, a far cry from the club’s stated ambitions.
