The reunion had been waiting for a spark, and Paris FC’s 2-1 victory over Strasbourg supplied it. Liam Rosenior, back in Ligue 1 after leaving Strasbourg for Chelsea in January, turned towards the travelling supporters at the final whistle and cupped his ears after a bitter afternoon at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
Rosenior said he had been abused throughout the match, with insults also aimed at members of his family. The Paris FC coach responded to the Strasbourg away end after his side’s win on the fifth matchday of the Ligue 1 season.
“A small section of Strasbourg supporters went beyond the limit and showed a lack of respect towards my family,” Rosenior said after the game. “That is why I reacted.”
A departure Strasbourg supporters have not forgotten
The English coach’s exit from Alsace remains a raw subject for many Racing fans. Rosenior announced in the middle of last season that he was leaving Strasbourg for Chelsea, another club under the BlueCo umbrella, describing the London job as an opportunity he could not reject.
His return to France with Paris FC this summer ensured that the fixture carried old grievances. The post-match confrontation only deepened them.
Dimitri Liénard, Strasbourg’s former captain and a prominent figure in the club’s recent history, condemned insults targeting Rosenior’s family. But he was equally critical of the coach’s decision to engage with the away supporters.
“I do not approve of insults involving family members; it happened to me as well,” Liénard said on the Club Racing YouTube programme. “But if coaches are now going to act like that, showing off in front of the stand…”
Liénard questions Rosenior’s record and farewell
Liénard did not play under Rosenior in Strasbourg, but he challenged the coach’s account of his time at the club. He pointed to a difficult final league sequence before Rosenior’s departure: three defeats and two draws in his last five matches, excluding European fixtures against Aberdeen and another opponent he referred to dismissively.
Rosenior’s last Strasbourg victory, Liénard noted, came against Lille at the Meinau on 9 November 2025.
The former midfielder was particularly angered by Rosenior’s farewell press conference in early January. At the time, the coach told Strasbourg supporters they should be proud that someone working at their club had been selected to manage a Champions League-winning side.
Liénard felt the remarks lacked gratitude towards Strasbourg and its public.
“There was no real thank-you to the people of Strasbourg,” he said. “What did he expect? A statue, a red carpet, champagne? You are crazy, my friend. The club’s values are humility, respect and hard work.”
Chelsea spell also raised
Liénard also referred to Rosenior’s brief Chelsea spell, which ended after three and a half months when the London club dismissed him following results and performances judged below expectations.
He suggested that a team’s behaviour can reflect the standards permitted by its manager, before returning to the manner of Rosenior’s Strasbourg exit and the subsequent move of Mamadou Sarr.
Sarr, described by Liénard as a central defensive pillar for Strasbourg, followed Rosenior to Chelsea but played only one 90-minute match there. Liénard also took exception to Rosenior’s Champions League comments at his departure.
“He spoke about winning the Champions League and said people should be happy or proud for him,” Liénard said. “You leave for Chelsea in the middle of a season, take a key defender from us, and then come back with a moral lesson? It was unbelievable.”
Despite his anger, Liénard repeated that abuse directed at Rosenior and his family was unacceptable. His verdict, however, was that the Paris FC coach should have shown greater restraint in front of Strasbourg’s supporters.
