FC Barcelona have filed an official complaint with UEFA against Paris Saint-Germain over a controversial tifo displayed by Parisian fans at the Parc des Princes. The banner, which was approved by the host club, depicted a masked figure attacking Barcelona's crest with a bloodied chainsaw and carried the slogan 'Parisian-style massacre'.
Barcelona's board considers this provocative message, a reference to the 1974 horror film 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre', unacceptable under UEFA regulations. These state that messages not fit for a sporting event can lead to disciplinary measures.
The complaint follows Paris Saint-Germain's comprehensive 4-2 win over Barcelona in the Champions League last Tuesday, a result that continues a positive run. The Parisian club, sitting second in the French league with 14 points from 7 games, has now won three of its last five matches across all competitions, a run of form reading three wins and two defeats. This recent sequence includes a 3-1 win over Le Mans and a 2-1 victory at Marseille, but also a 4-2 loss to Manchester City. Paris Saint-Germain have scored 14 league goals and conceded 9, giving them a +5 goal difference. The team will face league leaders Lyon at home on Saturday 25 October in a key top-of-the-table clash.
Paris Saint-Germain will be without the sidelined A. Longoni and N. Mendes for this fixture. Their attack will be led by their top scorer this season, Ferran Torres, who has 4 goals in 7 appearances. In the 4-2 win over Barcelona, the goals were scored by Désiré Doue, Lucas Hernández, Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz, while in the 3-1 victory at Strasbourg, the scorers were Ilya Zabarnyi, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doue.
Under Article 16 of UEFA's disciplinary regulations, a first offence of this nature typically carries a fine of €10,000. Paris Saint-Germain, who have scored 14 goals in 7 league matches, must now focus on preparing for Lyon's visit while awaiting a decision from the European governing body.
Background and full detail: sports.yahoo.com
