PSG CRISIS: LUIS ENRIQUE RESPONDS TO HAKIMI’S LEGAL BATTLE BEFORE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLASH

High stakes: Discover why Achraf Hakimi faces 15 years in prison and his defiant response to the ordered rape trial in Nanterre.

PSG Crisis: Luis Enrique responds to Hakimi’s legal battle before Champions League clash
Luis Enrique is right to stay neutral; the justice system must handle this

If found guilty, Hakimi faces up to 15 years in prison, the maximum sentence for the crime he’s accused of.

Hakimi Facing Possible 15-Year Prison Sentence

French outlet Le Parisien, quoted by The Sun, reports that the incident dates back to February 2023. A 24-year-old woman told police she met the Moroccan international on Instagram in January.

She says that when she arrived, Hakimi kissed her on the mouth and breasts over her clothes without her consent and then assaulted her. According to her, she managed to push him away with her foot and left, texting a friend to come pick her up.

Later that day, she went to the police and gave what was called a "statement of rape", but at first she didn’t file a formal complaint.

In the weeks after, she sent investigators messages that reportedly showed how distressed she was after the incident.

On March 3, 2023, an investigating judge charged Achraf Hakimi with rape. Police took him into custody briefly, then released him under judicial supervision. Hakimi has denied the accusations from the start.

Now, in 2026, the Daily Mail reports that Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, confirmed a trial has been ordered. The prosecutor in Nanterre also confirmed it. In their words:

“A trial has been ordered based solely on the word of a woman who blocked all investigations, refused all medical exams and DNA tests, wouldn’t let her phone be examined, and wouldn’t name a key witness.”

Meanwhile, Gianni Infantino is accused of breaking strict FIFA rules during Donald Trump’s Board of Peace meeting.

After the latest news, Hakimi said:

“Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial, even though I deny it and everything proves it’s false. This is just as unfair to the innocent as it is to real victims. I calmly wait for this trial, which will let the truth come out.”

PSG manager Luis Enrique was asked before the Champions League play-off second leg against Monaco if Hakimi’s case changes anything for the team or his role as vice captain. He replied, “This is in the hands of the justice system.”

Hakimi also spoke about the accusations in a January interview, saying there was a plot against him. “The truth is, when you’re successful and things are going well, you become an easy target for some people, and that taught me you can’t trust many people around you.

“They tried to blackmail me, and that’s why we filed a complaint. It’s going fine. The justice system handled things pretty well.”

A representative for the alleged victim responded, "My client feels huge relief at this news. Nothing in this case points to any blackmail attempt. We won’t let anyone smear her or destabilise her, which, sadly, still happens far too often to women who dare to report rape.”

Hakimi’s lawyer, Colin, criticised the prosecution’s move, saying, "These requests make no sense given the evidence. The case proves the plaintiff lied, especially through psychological assessments. Achraf Hakimi and I are as calm as we were at the start. If these requests are approved, we’ll appeal every step of the way.”

As of now, Hakimi is still free on bail.

INSIDE BRADLEY BARCOLA’S DECISION TO LEAVE PSG FOR A STARRING ROLE AT ANFIELD

Bradley Barcola is keen to trade PSG for Liverpool to avoid playing "second fiddle" under Luis Enrique next season in France.

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Barcola Is Prioritising Liverpool Over Staying In Paris Next Season - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola looks pretty interested in a summer move to Liverpool, and PSG won’t stand in his way if he decides he wants out. Barcola’s not so keen on playing second fiddle to Luis Enrique anymore; he wants a bigger role.

There's been chatter about his future since last summer, and now the Premier League is catching his eye. Liverpool sounds like the most tempting option if you believe the talk coming out of France.

Barcola’s only 23, but he’s already piled up 12 goals and seven assists from 46 games. Still, at PSG, he sits behind big names like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele. Last time, he stayed put to chase a World Cup spot and another shot at the Champions League. Now, Liverpool seems more appealing; maybe the timing finally feels right for him.

Liverpool’s been weighing up different wide players for the summer. Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig and Barcola are both under consideration, according to The Times.

Arne Slot has made it clear Liverpool’s got big plans for the summer. He wants to turn things around after what’s honestly been a tough season. Slot’s first year didn’t deliver a title, and with two games left, they haven’t locked down a Champions League spot.

“Yeah, I do think I’ll turn things around," Slot said. “Not this season, though. Fans have their opinions, and they won’t change right now. But if we have the summer we’re planning, I’m convinced we’ll be a different team next year: better results, better football. Sometimes you know what needs fixing, but it’s not always easy to get what you want. For us, it’s pretty clear what we’ve been lacking, and we’re working on it.”

Liverpool splashed out last summer, picking up Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Milos Kerkez. But Jamie Carragher thinks they can’t repeat that kind of spending.

“They won’t be able to do what they did last summer; they just don’t have that revenue," he said. "They don’t need six or seven new faces; that’s too much change. Three solid signings would do: a right winger to replace Mo Salah, a right-back, and a central midfielder. Then, the guys they bought last year, Ekitike, Isak, and Wirtz, will start looking like even better players.”

PSG DRAW 2-2 WITH LORIENT; LIGUE 1 TITLE RACE MOVES TO LENS

PSG remain six points clear despite a 2-2 draw with Lorient, as eyes turn to their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

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PSG can officially clinch Ligue 1 next weekend versus Lens - Courtesy Picture

Ibrahim Mbaye got PSG off to a flying start with an early goal at Parc des Princes, but Lorient answered quickly through Pablo Pagis. Warren Zaire-Emery put PSG back in front right after coming on as a substitute; his impact was immediate.

Things turned sour for PSG, though. Pierre Mounguengue, making his debut as a teenager, made a costly mistake that let Aiyegun Tosin race clear and score Lorient’s second. PSG kept pushing for a winner but just couldn’t find one.

Still, their lead at the top sits at six points with only three matches to go, since Lens could only draw 1-1 away at Nice.

Lens will host PSG on May 13, but if Luis Enrique’s squad outperforms their nearest rivals next weekend, they’ll wrap up the title early.

PSG’s real focus, though, is on defending their European crown. They play Bayern in Munich on Wednesday, holding a narrow 5-4 advantage from the first leg.

“It’s tough for the players to get motivated after a Champions League semi-final,” said Luis Enrique, who rotated heavily, keeping just Willian Pacho and Desire Doue from the midweek lineup.

Big names like Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stayed on the bench. Vitinha didn’t even suit up.

Nineteen-year-old Renato Marin started in goal for only the second time, and Mounguengue got his debut up front in the second half.

Here’s how it all played out: PSG took the lead in the sixth minute when Lorient’s keeper, Yvon Mvogo, bungled a clearance off Doue’s cross and the ball bounced in off Mbaye. Pagis replied with Lorient’s first equaliser, but after the break, Zaire-Emery, on for Fabian Ruiz, controlled a pass from Doue with his first touch and fired it in (thanks to a slight deflection).

But it all unravelled with Mounguengue’s poor pass. Tosin seized the chance, slotted home, and PSG dropped points at home for the third time in five league fixtures. Senny Mayulu almost stole it back late on, but his shot hit the post.

Lens let their chance slip too. They went up against Nice thanks to Allan Saint-Maximin, but dropped to ten men when Saud Abdulhamid hacked down Sofiane Diop as he closed in on goal. From the resulting free-kick, Ali Abdi pounced and made it 1-1.

Over in Marseille, the misery continued. They slumped to a 3-0 loss at Nantes, a real blow to their Champions League hopes. Ignatius Ganago, Remy Cabella, and Matthis Abline all scored in nine minutes, giving Nantes their first win in nine matches. Nantes, eight-time champions, are still in the automatic drop zone but now trail Auxerre by just two points with a couple of games left.

Marseille, on the other hand, have lost four of their last six and slipped down to seventh, trailing Monaco, who won 2-1 at Metz. With only two games left, OM are four points off a Champions League place and could even miss out on European football entirely.

Coach Habib Beye summed it up: “We got what we deserved", and insisted he wouldn’t walk away. “You don’t give up on a challenge like this. I’ll never quit.”

Monaco kept their own European push alive, coming back at Metz. American forward Folarin Balogun bagged his ninth goal in ten games to tie it up before Ansu Fati grabbed a winner in injury time. It was a bitter pill for Metz, who have now gone 20 league games without a win, which sealed their relegation.

On a much brighter note, Troyes, part of the City Football Group, is back in Ligue 1 after three years away. They made it official last weekend and sealed the Ligue 2 title with a game to spare on Saturday. Le Mans is in pole position for the second automatic promotion spot.

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