Liam Rosenior, manager of Paris FC, has explained his animated celebrations and subsequent confrontation with travelling supporters after his side secured a 2-1 victory over Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Saturday. The former Chelsea boss stated he “wanted to send a message” following abuse he perceived to be directed at his family.
Rosenior’s Explanation for Celebrations
His spirited celebrations reportedly led to feisty scenes and confrontations between players and staff on the pitch, a melee also reported by ESPN, after which Rosenior stated that the Strasbourg fans ‘disrespected my family.’ As detailed by Yahoo, Rosenior elaborated that a “small part of the Strasbourg support” had directed abuse at his family, leading to his decision to “send a message” to a group who “never wanted me to be successful at that club.” He expressed his understanding of the French chants and noted that his bench was visibly upset.
Despite his actions, Rosenior also conveyed his respect for Strasbourg, describing it as a “fantastic football club, with great people who work for the club, and great people who support the club.” He added that it is a “wonderful football club” with a “great city” and “great tradition,” but reiterated that the chants had gone “a step too far.”
Match Details: Paris FC Triumphs Over Strasbourg
The Ligue 1 fixture at the Stade Jean-Bouin saw Paris FC secure all three points thanks to goals from Ilan Kebbal and Pablo Pagis. Strasbourg’s goal came from an own goal by Paris FC defender Moustapha Mbow, which set up a tense finish with the score at 2-1.
During the game, notable events included Strasbourg’s Diogo Sousa winning a free kick in the attacking half, and Ismaël Doukouré having a right-footed shot from outside the box go too high. Paris FC’s Luca Koleosho was shown a yellow card for a bad foul. Other incidents, as reported by the BBC, included Genesis Antwi (Strasbourg) winning a free kick on the right wing, and Rudy Matondo and Thibault De Smet (both Paris FC) winning free kicks in their defensive half. Substitutions saw Yaya Diémé replace Gessime Yassine for Strasbourg, while Paris FC brought on Patrick Zabi for Lassine Sinayoko and Vincent Marchetti for Maxime Lopez. The match also experienced a delay due to an injury to Strasbourg’s Ismaël Doukouré.
Rosenior’s Return to French Football
Rosenior’s current tenure with Paris FC, where his side is unbeaten in their first five matches and sits third in the league table, marks his return to the French top flight after a challenging period. He was previously manager of Chelsea but was sacked last April after just 106 days in charge, following five consecutive defeats without his team scoring a single goal. Rosenior had taken over from Enzo Maresca and was described as a “long-term replacement” plucked from “sister club Strasbourg,” but ultimately failed to complete his first season at Stamford Bridge.
