Evra denies homophobia after social media spat with PSG

Paris (AFP) – Patrice Evra has hit back at accusations of homophobia after Paris Saint-Germain blasted the former France captain for calling the Ligue 1 club “a bunch of queers” in the aftermath of their Champions League exit to Manchester United.

Earlier, PSG condemned “Patrice Evra’s homophobic insults aimed at us… on social media” after a bizarre spat in which Evra used the French word “pede”, a derogatory term for homosexuals, to describe the Parisians.

Nonetheless, the 37-year-old claimed his comments had been twisted by the French media.

“I made a video, as a joke as a friend, and the French media, they take it because I used the word ‘pede’, so they translated as I am against the gay people,” Evra said on Twitter.

“I am not homophobic. I love everybody. So if I offend someone or I hurt someone, I already apologised.

“You have to be free for whatever you want to do in life, I will never judge anyone. Only God can judge me.”

Tensions began to mount between PSG and when Evra when the former United defender posted a video on Instagram, where he has 5.8 million followers, from PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium celebrating the Premier League side’s stunning 3-1 away win in the Champions League last 16.

This drew criticism from former PSG player and television pundit Jerome Rothen, who was a France and Monaco teammate of Evra.

Evra responded to Rothen by threatening to “smash his face in”.

The left-back, who played 379 times for United and 81 times for France, has a history of provocative statements and was the French captain during their infamous strike at the 2010 World Cup.