BATTE: Paris Saint-Germain chaos could play into Manchester United's hands

Of all the difficult ties Manchester United could have been given in the Champions League, perhaps Paris Saint-Germain was not the worst.

United, who are making their debut in Europe, face a two-legged qualifying tie against the French side - with a place in the group stage up for grabs.

It will be tough for United to progress, there is no doubt about that. PSG are more experienced in this competition and have quality all over the pitch.

But the chaos that has surrounded the club in the last few weeks, and indeed years, could potentially play into United’s hands.

PSG are no strangers to off-the-pitch problems. In November 2021, the football world was rocked when Aminata Diallo was arrested on suspicion of organising an attack on her team-mate Khiera Hamraoui.

Diallo charged with aggravated assault last year and is accused of hiring two masked men to beat Hamraoui with iron bars.

Both players have now left the club, but issues remain. At the end of last month Kadidiatou Diani, who left PSG for Lyon in the summer, filed a complaint for sexual assault against the club’s former manager Didier Olle-Nicolle.

According to Le Parisien, Diani reported two instances of Olle-Nicolle touching her and other players’ buttocks. The manager, who left the club before the 2022-2023 season, faced similar allegations in May last year.

Gerard Precheur was appointed manager following Olle-Nicolle’s departure but endured a disappointing season, finishing six points behind league winners Lyon and crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

At the end of the campaign, Precheur criticised the club for a lack of investment. ‘PSG must provide guarantees to build a great club,’ he said. ‘Being competitive is not enough. I want to