“He Should Just Play Football” — Achraf Hakimi Reacts to Endrick Celebration in PSG Defeat
PSG defender Achraf Hakimi has shared his thoughts on his reaction to Endrick during Lyon’s surprising 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.
The match took a surprising turn just seven minutes in when Brazilian teenager Endrick scored for Lyon. But it was his celebration that really caught everyone’s eye. Endrick danced provocatively right in front of the PSG ultras, leading to loud boos from the home crowd and intensifying the stadium’s atmosphere.
Hakimi was clearly upset by the celebration. Immediately after, he confronted the young player on the field, feeling that the gesture was unnecessary provocation.
After the match, speaking to Ligue 1+, Hakimi expressed that he wanted the focus to remain on football instead of theatrics.
“[Why did I tell Endrick to stay calm?] We are not going to focus on the opposing players. I wanted my team to stay focused, and for him to stop doing things towards our supporters. Let him play football, especially as he is a good player. But when he does things that are not related to football, it can annoy me, especially since we were losing.”
“I wanted him to stop doing things toward our supporters. He should just play football, especially because he is a good player. But when he does things that are not related to football, it can annoy me — especially since we were losing at the time.”