Ahead of their away game at Nantes in Round 6 of the French Ligue 1, a journalist asked PSG coach Christophe Galiter did his team even think about travelling to the game by train (only two hour drive) instead of taking a private jet, thus giving their small contribution to the ‘green agenda’ and air pollution. Galtier tried to be funny and replied that they are thinking about travelling with sand yacht, after which he apologized, since his answer and Kylian Mbappe’s laughter brought furry to the social networks, but also among politicians. Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France’s Minister for Energy Transition, said that people from professional football are simply detached from such important issues, but in reality, all football clubs in France are taking other forms of transport – apart from PSG.Mbappe declares war on French Football Federation, as he refuses to obey the ground rulesA Qatar owned football club, as all other Ligue 1 teams has 19 away game throughout the season. And L’Equipe soon mapped all French first league clubs and their forms of transport and only PSG has taken its squad to all 19 games by plane. They didn’t even bothered to take the train to Nantes, or even Troyes, which is only 90 minutes from Paris. Even the clubs who are geographically in a tougher situation, like Lille at the very north, or wealthy Monaco on the French Riviera or Montpellier and Marseille on the far south have taken bus or train at least once (Lille 3 times, Monaco 2, Marseille 3). In fact, Montpellier travelled by plane only 12 time, the fewest in the league, but all other 7 trips were by bus, which is also not helping the ‘green agenda’.Mbappe has got a big UCL match to play, but he’s being crucified because he’s not green enoughWhen met by public fury, PSG PR department tried to soften the blow and first offered some silly explanation how the train station would be blocked if the club would use the train as if they were a Royal family, but soon had to take things serous. They have scheduled a meeting for the end of this month in which PSG expect a ‘strong offer’ from the French railways.##NAJAVA_MECA_6677118##According to information from Figaro confirmed by RMC Sport, the Parisian club and the SNCF have set a meeting at the end of September, where a purchasing manager from the club and an employee of the company will be present. The goal is to ‘discuss more precisely what the company can offer’. Previous negotiations between the two parties were ultimately not ‘fruitful’. PSG wants several criteria to be met, such as cost, security, disturbance of public order, travel time. There is no doubt that another disappointing meeting between railway and PSG will raise the issue in the public again, just as they prepare to clash with Benfica in the Champions League.
