Women's PSG team terminates the employment of coach Fabrice Abriel
Get the Lowdown on PSG's Tumultuous Women's Season
The 2024-2025 season has been a rollercoaster ride for Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) men, with a French championship title, a promising Champions League semifinal draw, and a Coupe de France final against Reims on the horizon. However, the ladies of the club have faced a different reality.
Two days after a heartbreaking Coupe de France final defeat against Paris FC (0-0, 5-4 on penalties), coach Fabrice Abriel, 45, was let go, as a trusted source revealed to our website on Monday, May 5. This news comes just days before the teammates of Grace Geyoro face Paris FC in the playoff semifinals of the First League on May 11, with only one game standing between them and possibly salvaging their season.
A Cup-Like Twist to the Women's Football Championship
The playoffs lend the D1 a thrilling, cup-like atmosphere, adding a sense of anticipation to the women's championship. Fabrice Abriel took on the reigns of PSG in July 2024, replacing Jocelyn Prêcheur, but his tenure was marred by disappointing results and conflicted relationships with some of his star players.
He was eliminated in the second qualifying round of the Champions League in September 2024, and he finished the regular season of the championship in second place, admittedly falling behind Lyon by a substantial margin (59 points to 49, with four draws and two losses).
Results Aren't Everything: Abriel's Troubled Management and Fallout with Star Players
Beyond the numbers, it was Abriel's management style that triggered his dismissal. French internationals Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui were at the center of the conflict. Geyoro first lost her captaincy and then was excluded from the team for three consecutive matches between November 23 and December 13. Karchaoui, for her part, was left as a substitute during the victory against Saint-Étienne on March 29, and was excluded from the team for the matches against Reims on April 11 and Le Havre on April 23.
During a press conference prior to the Coupe de France final on May 2, Abriel displayed frustration about the situation: "I know how I want to win matches. I have a very precise idea and all of this belongs to me. I'm focused on the positive things." Despite the controversy, he persisted in not starting Karchaoui and Katoto, the team's star striker, in the game against Paris FC. The two players nearly proved decisive.
The relationship between Karchaoui and Abriel soured after an interview she gave to L'Equipe in late 2024. "I don't have the same affinity that I had with Jocelyn [Prêcheur], to be honest," she explained. "When you have a very good relationship with a coach, it changes things, that's for sure." In the same interview, she also criticized the team's lack of clear strategies: "We don't have anything very precise in the game plan."
In the Coach's Seat: Paulo César
Fabrice Abriel will be replaced by Paulo César, 46. A former defender for PSG from 2002 to 2007, César has established a solid coaching career in his native Brazil. César is expected to serve temporarily as coach of the PSG women's team unless he leads the team to a victorious French championship title, a feat last achieved in 2021. If that happens, the club may consider extending his tenure.
(For more analysis on both the men's and women's teams, be sure to subscribe to our "Sport" newsletter, delivering the latest sports news straight to your inbox every Saturday.)
Anthony Hernandez
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[1]Rumblings of discontent behind the scenes at PSG could potentially involve changes in coaching and playing staff, as indicated by recent sources. (Source: The Athletic)
- In the 2025 season, Juventude's Portuguese counterpart, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), found themselves in a tumultuous situation with their women's team, while their men's team stood strong in the Premier League and European leagues.
- The dismissal of coach Fabrice Abriel, who took charge in July 2024, was announced just days before the playoff semifinals of the First League, a crucial game for the women's team that could potentially salvage their season.
- The dismissal of Fabrice Abriel was not solely based on results, but also his strained relationships with star players, such as Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui, which led to their exclusion from the team and further conflict.
- Replacing Abriel is Paulo César, a former PSG player and successful Brazilian coach, who is expected to serve temporarily as coach of the women's team until they win a French championship title, possibly securing a more permanent position.
- Despite the controversy surrounding the women's team, the men's team under Fabrice Abriel's leadership achieved a French championship title, a promising Champions League semifinal draw, and a Coupe de France final against Reims on the horizon, adding to the contrast in their seasons.
