PSG Féminin is going through a turbulent period, despite its runner-up position in the championship, just one point behind Olympique Lyonnais. The absence of the Champions League, after an early elimination, weighs heavily on the group's shoulders. But beyond the sporting results, it is the internal tensions which weaken the Parisian locker room, marked by quarrels and strong choices by Fabrice Abriel, in particular the sidelining of Grace Geyoro.
A situation which, in the words of Marie-Antoinette Katoto, leaves room for a heavy atmosphere. In an interview with AFP, PSG's flagship striker did not mince her words, uttering a real cry from the heart to try to wake up her teammates and her club: “It’s heavy, the atmosphere is heavy, we have to burst the abscess and say things to ourselves”she said. “The season got off to a very bad start, with misunderstandings during this transfer window. We have to accept certain departures and move forward. We can't stay in this in-between: either we're all together and we're going to war together, or we continue to cry and we will have a very long season.”
Despite this tense atmosphere, Katoto was keen to praise the team's ability to bounce back after the European failure: “We were able to bounce back well, I am very happy and proud because it was really not easy to get back on track after this kind of failure which happened very early.” Concerning her trainer, Fabrice Abriel, she tried to temper the criticism while recognizing his authority: “Abriel? He's a good coach who knows football well, he's a former professional player, he knows what he wants to achieve, he knows what he's doing.”
A direction at a crossroads
These statements from Katoto sound like an ultimatum for PSG. The striker, who has often carried the team on her shoulders, clearly calls for a collective start, but also for strong decisions from management. Tensions in the locker room, fueled by controversial choices and misunderstandings, require rapid intervention to prevent the season from turning into a fiasco.
The upcoming clash against Olympique Lyonnais, scheduled for the Parc des Princes in January, could serve as a catalyst to relaunch a positive dynamic. But for this to happen, the group will have to find unity, starting now. Management will also have to assume its responsibilities, both in managing tensions and in supporting the coach and his players.
This cry from Katoto's heart cannot be ignored. It is urgent that all parties concerned – players, staff and managers – mobilize so that PSG Féminin regains serenity and ambition. A war, as Katoto says so well, can only be won together.
