Adrien Rabiot experienced hostility during his return to the Parc des Princes on March 16, 2025, as he donned the jersey of Olympique de Marseille (OM) against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
From the moment he stepped onto the pitch, Rabiot, now 29, faced a barrage of jeers and insults from PSG supporters. This was not unexpected, as fans had been vocal about their intentions to create a hostile atmosphere leading up to the match. The tension was palpable, fueled by Rabiot's controversial departure from PSG seven years earlier.
Rabiot's presence as captain of the OM side for this fixture only exacerbated the animosity from the stands. On this day of his first Classique as captain, he was met with memorable chants and signs targeting both him and his mother, Veronique Rabiot. One particularly offensive banner read: "Loyalty for men, betrayal for the whores. Like mother, like son. Vero, who’s his real father? Dehu, Fiorese, Cana or Heinze?"
Despite the vitriol, Rabiot managed to maintain his composure and displayed his skill on the field. He assisted his teammate Amine Gouiri, who scored the only goal for OM, reducing PSG's lead to 3-1. This lone bright moment for Rabiot contrasted starkly with the hostile reception he received throughout the match.
Fans of PSG had promised to make Rabiot's return memorable for all the wrong reasons. The sound of jeers erupted every time he touched the ball, and the atmosphere became increasingly intolerable. Even the public address announcer attempted to calm the crowd, reminding them of potential sanctions for excessive misconduct, but to no avail as the chants and insults persisted unabated.
Throughout the contest, supporters displayed several derogatory banners aimed at Rabiot and his mother, targeting their personal lives with insults such as, "Whore of mother and son." The messages were deeply personal and reflective of the longstanding tensions between Rabiot and the club, exacerbated by his past associations with PSG.
Rabiot, who developed through the youth ranks at PSG, captained OM for the first time during this match, and it underscored the divide between his past and present. While he was pivotal with the assist to Gouiri, the celebration was bittersweet, overshadowed by the sting of playing against his former supporters.
The incident highlighted the fraught nature of rivalries in football, where emotions often run high, and relationships can become adversarial rather than nostalgic.
Supporters of soccer clubs often hold deep emotional connections to their teams, and for Rabiot, once revered as one of PSG’s own, the chants felt like knives. Against the backdrop of the Parc des Princes, the hostility seemed to cling to the air.
Reactions from the football community were swift. Some condemned the behavior of PSG supporters as crossing the line, arguing such verbal attacks have no place even within the passionate atmospheres of football matches. Others, especially within PSG's own ranks, pointed to the importance of maintaining passion and fervor during matches without crossing boundaries.
This clash was not merely about three points on the line; it represented the culmination of years of relationship building and subsequent fallout between Rabiot and the PSG faithful. Former PSG players have faced similar hardships, yet Rabiot’s return stands out due to the highly personal nature of the insults aimed at him.
While many fans bristle at controversial returns, Rabiot's situation is amplified by his departure from PSG, which was rife with dissent. The backlash echoed the troubled legacy left by another former PSG player, Fabrice Fiorèse, who experienced hostility from PSG fans back in 2004 during his own controversial departure.
Overall, Rabiot's return to the Parc des Princes was marked by triumph and heartbreak; his assist was overshadowed by the verbal assaults, creating another chapter in the storied rivalry between PSG and OM. The glaring reality of football rivalries manifested clearly, establishing boundaries of loyalty and betrayal.
Stay tuned as the fallout from this match continues, highlighting the turbulent and passionate nature of football among its most ardent supporters.