Following the loss of the French Super Cup to Lens by a score of 1-0, Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain’s defender, made strong and direct statements revealing his deep dissatisfaction with the conditions of the match held at the “Bollaert-Delelis” stadium. Hakimi did not hide his annoyance at the atmosphere surrounding the game, considering that it lacked the usual standards of major final matches and seemed more like a regular league match, especially since it was played at the competitor’s home ground in front of a large crowd of their fans, with an almost complete absence of Paris fans.
Hakimi affirmed in press statements that his team exerted tremendous effort and controlled the game, creating many scoring opportunities, but organizational factors beyond their control imposed a difficult reality. The Moroccan player emphasized that fairness requires such decisive matches to be held on neutral ground, with an equal distribution of seats between the competing teams’ fans, which was not achieved in this crucial game.
The international star expressed great concern about the impact of such decisions on the attractiveness and development of the French competition as a whole. Hakimi warned that ignoring these organizational aspects may hinder the progression of the tournament, affirming that previous experiences saw many finals held in neutral stadiums with a fair division of fans to ensure equality of opportunity and neutrality in competition. According to Hakimi, these standards are necessary to elevate the level of French football.
Hakimi concluded his statements by emphasizing that yesterday’s match did not rise to the level of a true final but seemed more like a regular league match due to the absence of balanced competitive presence in the crowd and stadium conditions. He sent a clear message about the necessity of addressing these observations in the future if the ambition is to develop the French championship and make it more professional and attractive both locally and internationally, avoiding a repeat of the experience of losing the French Super Cup in this manner.
