This time, PSG will travel well to Qatar.
After a short winter camp canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic last January, the capital club checked the dates of May 15 and 16 for a trip to Doha with the whole team.
It will be the first time since 2019 that Parisians have traveled to the country of its shareholder QSI (Qatar Sports Investments).
A commercially significant move.
The trip is planned in the wake of the Montpellier-PSG meeting, scheduled for Saturday evening May 14 (9 p.m.).
Unlike the tour scheduled for January, no sporting events are planned on site.
The two days in Qatar will be used above all to participate in a series of events with the club's many Qatari partners such as Ooredoo, Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism, QNB, Aspetar and the French group Accor.
The Parisian stars are obviously expected by the sponsors in Doha.
Problem: May 15 also corresponds with the annual UNFP Trophies ceremony.
An evening which notably concerns Kylian Mbappé, nominated for the title of best player, Nuno Mendes, in the race for that of best hope in Ligue 1, or Gianluigi Donnarumma, for that of best goalkeeper.
On the PSG side, we recognize that "it's bad timing" but that this trip to Qatar is part of the obligations that the club owes to its sponsors.
Especially after more than three years of absence.
Couldn't he, however, postpone it for a day?
“Too complicated”, we retort in Paris.
But on the side of the UNFP, this announced absence of the capital club at the ceremony is difficult to digest.
Especially since the title of best player is promised to Kylian Mbappé for the third time in a row as the striker has shone this season.
“We learned of this absence with great disappointment 48 hours ago, reacts Philippe Piat, president of the UNFP, to the Parisian.
We are disappointed.
We are in discussion for Mbappé to be there with PSG but there is little hope.
We will at least try to set up a duplex.
But we can regret the way it happens because the date has been known for a long time.
It's a little embarrassing ".
The Parisian trip being unthinkable in Doha without its 2018 world champion, the ceremony will therefore take place without him.
A point which therefore annoys on the side of the UNFP.
Machine to win titles in France, PSG is necessarily the main showcase of the ceremony which rewarded Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Edinson Cavani before Kylian Mbappé.
This absence somewhat devalues the interest of the evening.
In addition, PSG will not be represented by its women's section either since Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Kadidiatou Diani or Grace Geyoro, nominated for the title of best player, will play the Coupe de France final in Dijon at the same time against in Yzeure, D2 club.
