PSG Unhappy with Cramped Locker Room
The reigning European champions were given an extra room at the Red Bull Arena after Parisians expressed dissatisfaction with conditions ahead of their clash with Aston Villa at an organizational meeting.
The reigning European champions were given an extra room at the Red Bull Arena after Parisians expressed dissatisfaction with conditions ahead of their clash with Aston Villa at an organizational meeting.
Paris Saint-Germain unexpectedly received an additional locker room at the Red Bull Arena in Austria, where they will play the Super Cup match against Aston Villa on Wednesday. Representatives of the French club expressed dissatisfaction with the allocated space, prompting a swift response from UEFA.
Unai Emery's side, winners of the Europa League, took over the home locker room of Red Bull Salzburg, while PSG, the current Champions League winners, were assigned the visiting one. However, Parisians deemed the offered space insufficient for the entire delegation-players, coaching staff, and support personnel.
They voiced their complaints at the organizational meeting held on Monday. According to BBC Sport, the French club requested conditions comparable to those of Aston Villa, especially given the importance of the match and the number of people using the locker room before kickoff.
After the complaint, organizers found a simple solution. PSG was given an additional vacant locker room, otherwise reserved for match officials, giving Luis Enrique's squad two connected rooms at their disposal. This ensured ample space for all preparations without relocating referees or other officials responsible for match operations.
Sources close to the situation indicate that Parisians were not seeking preferential treatment but rather roughly the same amount of space as their opponents. Their additional argument was the fact that they are the current Super Cup holders, having won it last year after a penalty shootout victory over Tottenham.
Although the issue did not affect the match schedule, PSG's locker room became an unexpected talking point ahead of the clash of European champions. Following the adjustment, both teams should have similar conditions. Aston Villa will remain in the home locker room, while PSG will use the visiting locker room plus the additional room later assigned to them.
With the logistical dispute resolved, attention can once again turn to the pitch, where PSG will aim to reaffirm their status as Europe's top team, while Aston Villa will look to spring a surprise and claim another international trophy.
