I Am Not Homophobic, Says Evra After Social Media Spat With PSG

Former Manchester United left back, Patrick Evra has reacted to 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.