Serge Aurier obviously can’t handle the responsibility of social media use as well as most other professional athletes.
Aurier, a defender on French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain, made disparaging comments about his coach, Laurent Blanc, and several teammates during a late Saturday night question-and-answer session on the social media app Periscope, according to Agence France-Presse.
Aurier, 23, reportedly used a homophobic slur to refer to Blanc. Aurier also took aim at the likes of goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and superstar teammates Angel di Maria and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
PSG took swift action against Aurier, announcing Sunday it has provisionally suspended the Ivorian while it determines what to do next, as its biggest game of the season looms.
“This Sunday, the club have learned of a video distributed on social media in which Serge Aurier responds to questions from internet users,” PSG said in a statement, according to the Independent. “The video, filmed in a private context, contains certain comments which are clearly unacceptable from a Paris St Germain player, towards certain team-mates and especially towards coach Laurent Blanc.
“The club have opened disciplinary proceedings against the player, accompanied by a provisional suspension. Serge Aurier therefore will not figure in the squad to play against Chelsea on Tuesday in the Champions League.
“Paris St Germain offer their full support to coach Laurent Blanc and to the players who, quite rightly, feel offended by these comments, which are against the values of the club.”
Blanc said in a press conference Monday that he took Aurier’s jabs “very badly,” before adding the player’s words hurt him, given how hard he had worked to bring him to PSG from Toulouse in July 2014.
UEFA in March 2015 banned Aurier three games for criticizing referee Bjorn Kuipers on Facebook. Aurier has apologized to Blanc and PSG for this latest social-media miscue.
“What I did was really stupid and inexcusable,” Aurier told Canal+ and BeIn Sports, according to the BBC. “I really regret what happened.
“I apologize to the coach and the supporters. I accept all consequences and can only thank Laurent Blanc for all that he has done for me at PSG.”
Aurier has been a regular starter at right back this season for a dominant PSG side. Blanc could replace him with Marquinhos or Gregory van der Wiel.
Time will whether PSG, Blanc and the other players welcome Aurier back into the fold.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BBCSport
