Last Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain returned to training after a deserved summer break. And it did not take long before the controversies pointed out their nose. First of all there is the case Gianluigi Donnarumma, more than ever pushed towards the exit after the signature of Lucas Chevalier. But the Italian, who put a message on social networks, is not necessarily to go. The staff must also manage the arrival of the Ukrainian Illia Zabarnyi, who will cross paths with Russian Matvey Safonov. Finally, since this weekend, the residents of the Parc des Princes face the controversies born after the interview with Achraf Hakimi in Canal+. An interview during which the Atlas lion spoke of its chances for the Golden Ball 2025.
“With the season we have done, we all improved the statistics. We had a big season. But if I see all my seasons since I started football, I think it's my best season. The Ballon d'Or is a dream, but I never thought about that before, but now that there is the possibility, people put me on the debate of the Ballon d'Or. There is a moment when you think a lot about that. My first dream was to be professional football, but the Ballon d'Or is a dream that I have never imagined, but I think I deserve it too. I had a historic season. There are not many players who scored in the quarter-finals, in the semi-finals and in the final. ”
A speaking that makes people talk
The 26 -year -old added: “As a defender, it's more difficult. People think I'm attacker or midfielder, but no, I play on a line of four and I must think about defending. The statistics I have made this year are not those of a normal defender. When a defender does that, I think he deserves more than an attacker. ” But his statements have caused a lot of ink to flow. Some believe that he penalizes Ousmane Dembélé, which he should have promoted a bit like Vitinha did. To make sure nothing, The team revealed that PSG would have tried to censor the part where Hakimi precisely evokes the Ballon d'Or and its merit. What was denied by the capital's club. For his part, the entourage of Dembélé, who would have been surprised, also calmed the game.
Except that in Morocco, this story is talking. Opinion Recalls that Dembouz is not the only Parisian candidate for the title. “For several weeks, the communication of the club has been clearly oriented towards a candidate: Ousmane Dembélé, author of a high -flying season. However, another name is essential in the race: that of Achraf Hakimi. The Atlas Lion has experienced an exceptional year, accumulating statistics rarely affected in its post: 11 goals and 14 assists in 55 games with the club. Scorer in quarters, in the semi-finals and in the Champions League final, he asserted himself as one of the major craftsmen of Parisian success. It is in this context that, last Saturday, Hakimi delivered a striking declaration on Canal+. ”
Morocco supports the candidate Hakimi
Journalist for Anbae TVAntar Abdelwarit is of the same opinion. “If we look at the whole season well, and if we talk about merit, I think that Achraf really deserves it. At the statistical level, it is incredible what he achieved. We often forget that he had specified in his interview that he is a defender. I think that, he and Dani Alves, are the side having displayed the best statistics in the history of football. Honestly, it is deserved. He was impacting in this team, whether in Ligue 1, in the French Cup or in the Champions League. He scored in the Coupe de France final, he released the situation in the Champions League final. He was present on all Ligue 1 matches, and he often released the situation against big clubs. ”
He continues: “Many games have been decanted thanks to him. His season started very early, before everyone else: he played the Olympic Games, where he was impactful, and he won the medal with Morocco. Then he went on with the preparation and started the season with the team. Without forgetting that last year, he played the CAN with Morocco. He is a player who rarely misses a performance, whether in club or in selection. And when we talk about golden ball, we also talk about image. The one he conveys abroad is incredible: I think there is not a place in the world where we do not see the jersey of the Moroccan national team, especially after the epic in Qatar, and of course with the number 2 of Achraf Hakimi. It is now a global brand. He checks all the boxes, on and off the field. ”
The local press accuses
For its part, the 360 Sport returned to the controversies linked to his speaking. “Hakimi provokes a violent earthquake within Paris Saint-Germain, and the latter reacts (…) Hakimi's words sowed Zizania within the Parisian team, and the club tried, without success, to remove them before the broadcast of the interview. For its part, Paris Saint-Germain denied any interference, stressing that its players are “calm” and focused on the preparation of the UEFA Supercup match on Wednesday against Tottenham. According to the sports newspaper, the club feared the “inflammatory” impact of this position, which it considered far from the internal communication approach, while Ooumane Dembélé was presented as the main face of the candidacy for the Ballon d'Or. “
It's nothing next toAl-Mountakhab who does not spare our colleagues, who have “Cross the line with Hakimi” According to them. “The French newspaper did not appreciate the decision of the Moroccan international and captain of the Atlas Lions to go to what he considers a violation of the rule of agreement and consensus which prevailed in the locker room of Paris Saint-Germain. In an interview with Canal+, he revealed the legitimacy of his ambition to win the Ballon d'Or, taking into account the excellent performances he had achieved during what was the best season of his football career. The team mentioned what he described as a discord caused in the PSG locker room by Hakimi's words on the Ballon d'Or, to the point that the management of the Parisian club planned to remove the video where the captain of the Atlas Lions is expressed on the Ballon d'Or. “
The media adds: “Paris Saint-Germain quickly denied, believing that Hakimi has completely the right to consider itself worthy of the Ballon d'Or, and that it even supports it in its dream of winning it. The Parisian management has chosen this response to avoid a deeper crisis within the Parisian locker room two days before the European Super Cup that the European Champions will compete against Tottenham Hotspur. The Team does not miss any opportunity to attack the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, especially since he considers him the biggest threat to his French teammate, Ousmane Dembélé, in the Golden Ball race (…) The newspaper again considers Hakimi's words on a legitimate dream as a source of disorders in a Parisian circle which should display its unwavering support. Achraf Hakimi approached the subject of the Ballon d'Or with his usual eloquence and frankness. ”
Antar Abdelwarit has trouble understanding. “Regarding the controversy after the media outing of Achraf, I do not understand. Because if it was the opposite, and it was Dembélé who had declared that he deserved the Ballon d'Or, I do not think it would have made so much noise. Simply because the PSG board had already decided that it would be Dembélé for the Ballon d'Or, and this well before the final of the Champions League (…) I therefore think that this controversy with PSG must be clarified. We cannot support one player and not another, and above all, the club is not allowed to promote a player to the detriment of another. Especially since Achraf was there long before Dembélé, and he was impacting in this team long before him. In Morocco, everyone is behind Achraf. Last year, we gave the Ballon d'Or to a midfielder this year, we must honor a defender, especially since the last defender to have won the Ballon d'Or dates back to 2006, with Italy. I think he deserves it amply. I hope that our colleagues journalists will vote for Achraf and that he will win this Ballon d'Or. ” Far from the controversies, Morocco supports its candidate Hakimi.
