Nasser al-Khelaïfi steps back from day-to-day sporting role but stays central at PSG | OneFootball

Nasser al-Khelaïfi has reduced his media presence and pulled back from daily sporting management at Paris Saint-Germain, yet remains central to the project. According to L'Équipe, this is a deliberate shift.

On Tuesday at San Mamés, during the first 15-minute media window before the Champions League tie, al-Khelaïfi and Luis Campos watched from pitchside. Despite medical advice not to fly after a wrist injury, he chose not to miss the European appointment.

After a decade of hands-on involvement across QSI decisions, he has stepped aside on the sporting front for about two years. In early talks with Luis Enrique in summer 2023, the coach set a non-negotiable that his sporting remit would not be eroded, and al-Khelaïfi agreed.

In practice he keeps his distance from the Luis Campos and Luis Enrique duo on team selection and day-to-day management, aside from some exchanges last winter. He does not comment on line-ups. Privately, he welcomes this different method and links it to a lower public profile.

Those around him accept his visibility might be lower but reject any notion of disengagement. They say he attends all matches, not only football, leads major meetings, represents PSG at official ceremonies, and drives long-term projects including the stadium and shareholding.

They also point to growing demands from his other roles, including EFC, managing or acquiring satellite clubs, and negotiations with the NBA, and say he barely sleeps.

Source: L'Équipe