"An unacceptable overstep": Barcelona complain about Paris Saint-Germain after the four-goal haul
Paris fans provoked Barça
Barcelona have decided to report Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA, European football's governing body, over a controversial banner raised by the French side's fans before kick-off in the Champions League clash between the two clubs. The Catalan club viewed it as an unacceptable overstepping of the boundaries of sporting competition.
According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport", Barcelona intend to lodge a complaint with UEFA once the match is over. Their objection centres on a huge banner raised by Paris fans in one of the stands, which carried the phrase "A massacre, the Parisian way", alongside an image of a person in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt and a terrifying mask, wielding a chainsaw as he smashed the Catalan club's crest.
From the atmosphere of a top clash to escalation off the pitch
The banner went up moments before the opening whistle. A charged crowd atmosphere only heightened the intensity of a meeting between two of the biggest rivals in European football.
Paris fans drew the design from "Leatherface", the famous character in the horror film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", while borrowing a mask associated with Michael Myers from the "Halloween" series. The result combined terrifying imagery with direct provocation of Barcelona.
According to "Sport", the Catalan club's board saw it as far more than a means of winding up the opponent or firing up the fans. They judged that it had crossed the acceptable limits of sporting rivalry, and that prompted them to go down the official route.
Barcelona demand an end to overstepping the mark
Barcelona's move comes with their clashes against Paris Saint-Germain locked in fierce competition on the European stage, amid the exceptional crowd atmospheres that accompany the two teams' meetings.
Refusing to let the conflict between the sides spill over into scenes that go beyond sporting support, the Catalan club will focus on filing their complaint with the European governing body once the final whistle sounds.
The report offered no details on possible sanctions or any official reaction from Paris Saint-Germain.
