The match on the third matchday of the 2026-2027 Champions League league phase between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona was notable primarily for the quality of play and the Parisians’ 4-2 victory. However, it also featured a tifo in the Auteuil Stand at the Parc des Princes inspired by the film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. According to Mundo Deportivo, this display has prompted a complaint from Barça, which could potentially lead to sanctions from UEFA.
“the Parisian club will face a financial fine; it remains to be seen whether they will also be subject to a partial stadium closure”
Late last night, it emerged that Barcelona intends to file a complaint with UEFA regarding a banner that appeared at the Parc des Princes stadium, which read: “A Parisian-style massacre.”
This banner and the subsequent complaint will result in sanctions for the Parisian club under UEFA’s Disciplinary Code, which explicitly states that penalties apply to anyone who “uses sporting events to make non-sporting statements” or whose “conduct brings the sport of football—and UEFA in particular—into disrepute.”
Consequently, the Parisian club will face a financial fine; it remains to be seen whether they will also be subject to a partial stadium closure or a formal warning regarding the closure of the specific section of the stands where the banner was displayed.
Be careful: it feels as though the Spanish newspaper is jumping to conclusions without any guidance from UEFA. While it bases its argument on the regulations—which is understandable—the claim that the tifo constitutes a violation remains, for now, merely an interpretation. It is also worth noting that the display was a clever, inspired idea with Halloween approaching; a great deal of effort went into creating the banner, and it contained no specific insults.
That said, it is quite possible that Barça has filed a formal complaint—a point raised by several Spanish media outlets. We are now awaiting a response from UEFA. A match played behind closed doors—even partially—would seem like a rather harsh penalty.
