Aurier: Blanc fall-out is over

Paris Saint-Germain defender Serge Aurier says that his fall-out with coach Laurent Blanc has been fully resolved.

Aurier was suspended by PSG in February after a video emerged online of him making abusive comments about his coach and team-mates in a question-and-answer session broadcast via Periscope.

The Ivorian full-back spent almost two months out of Blanc’s team following the incident, which the PSG coach described as “pitiful”, but he returned to the side for the final part of their title-winning Ligue 1 season.

Aurier told L’Equipe there is no bad blood between the pair, adding: “With Laurent Blanc, it was fixed. I had a discussion with him about this story and he was really quiet. He did not follow what everyone said – he took a step back.

“He said what he thought, I told him what I thought. Just after the story I sent him a message and I called him several times. He did not respond; it was normal, he took a step back and I understood.

“I apologised. He has a family and children who may be my age and are on social networks. Go there and listen to talk about your father like that – it’s hard.”

Aurier, who made a public apology for his part in the incident, was arrested last month following an alleged assault on a police officer.

Having been told by the club that he will not be sold, Aurier insists he has decided to stay and repay the faith shown in him by club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

“The moment that I wanted to apologise, I did it for my president,” said Aurier. “I know very well that he considers me like a son, and if I want to stay at PSG, it is for him.

“If it were up to me, I would have already left.”