If the construction of the “new PSG” is still underway on the ground, under the leadership of Luis Enrique, there is one area where the Parisian club has made good progress in the year 2024: that of its Campus, in Poissy. Opened in July 2023, it has been fine-tuned throughout recent months to arrive today at an ultra-modern finished product, occupying around sixty hectares between the management and staff offices, the locker rooms, the state-of-the-art weight training and balneotherapy rooms, rooms worthy of 4-star hotels or classrooms for young people.
It is therefore “one of the most innovative performance centers in the world” (according to PSG) in working order, bringing together for the first time under the same roof all the men’s, women’s and training center teams, which was officially inaugurated this Thursday morning. But this is only the first phase of a larger project which should, ultimately, make PSG the Rolls of multi-sport clubs in the world.
Qatari designs do not stop at football. In 2012, a year after buying the football section, the new owners recovered the capital’s handball team, which was going adrift. They immediately multiplied the budget by three and enlisted a good part of the French team, double Olympic champion (Luc Abalo, Didier Dinart then Thierry Omeyer and the Karabatic brothers a little later), sprinkled with a few international stars like the Danish Mikkel Hansen, to make it a leading European club.
“Cultivate the feeling of belonging”
“The objective is to build a great franchise ‘driven’ by men’s football,” explained then the deputy general manager Jean-Claude Blanc. The judo section, which existed from 1992 to 2002, was resurrected in 2017, with the signing of Teddy Riner to mark the occasion. It is in fact what was called at the time the “PSG omnisports”, which brought together in the 1990s under the presidency of Charles Biétry high-level teams in volleyball, basketball, handball, rugby and even golf, which takes shape. With a touch of modernity, since an esports section was also launched in 2016.
“It has always been in the DNA of the club to have sections other than football”, reminds 20 Minutes Victoriano Melero, who took over from Jean-Claude Blanc at the end of 2022. The new CEO of the club is very proud of the results obtained during the Paris Olympics, with no less than nine medalists stamped PSG, including Amandine Buchard, Romane Dicko, Marie-Eve Gahié, Luka Mkheidze and of course Teddy Riner. He supports:
« We will continue our development in judo, to move from our “babies 2024”, as we called them when we created the section, to “seniors Los Angeles 2028”. We want to continue this dynamic. Handball continues its course and reaches a new stage with the retirement of our emblematic player, Niko [Karabatic]and we should have announcements shortly on the development of the judo section. » »
These announcements will concern the Campus in particular. The second phase of the project, from 2025, should result in the creation of spaces dedicated to handball players and judokas. For the former, two pitches, a 250-seat stand, training and recovery rooms as well as offices for staff and meeting rooms. The latter will benefit from two dojos, a physical preparation room and another physiotherapy room. “The ambition, behind the professionals, is also on the young people,” adds Melero. We want to open a judo school, where we can transmit the values specific to Paris Saint-Germain. »
Beyond the essential material comfort when aiming for the very high level and the training of future generations, PSG intends to build bridges between the athletes of its different sections, to form a sort of “big PSG family”. “Having a place that brings everyone together helps create a real club culture and cultivate the feeling of belonging, the desire to be part of the club for the long term. It also allows us to draw inspiration from what other sports are doing, it can only be positive,” testifies Nikola Karabatic, encountered last month during a meeting between some champions and club employees at the Factory. .
The best player in the history of French handball, three-time Olympic champion, four-time world and European champion, has just ended a 22-year career. Not having “the desire” immediately to become a coach or sporting director, he took on the role of ambassador for the Parisian club. He sees his mission as a way to “share, transmit and continue to be present to continue to grow the club”.
The multi-section, the former center or back of the Blues knows well having been part for two seasons of what still constitutes the reference in Europe at the moment, namely FC Barcelona. The Catalan club shines not only in football, but also in handball, basketball, futsal, hockey… A diversified model which has allowed it to develop its notoriety at the same time as its income.
“Exchange is the basis in high-level sport”
An experience that Karabatic intends to use, because behind the sporting results, the potential is not fully exploited from its point of view. “It was not a point highlighted enough,” he believes. The difficulty in this kind of case is that each sport focuses on what it does, and that is also normal. The schedules and constraints are not the same. But I am convinced that there can be quite a few bridges and many advantages in creating life between the different sections. »
Romane Dicko agrees. Also present at this meeting at the Factory, the sparkling judokate, individual bronze medalist (+78kg) and team gold this summer, enjoys meeting with athletes from different backgrounds. “For me, exchange is really the basis in high-level sport, because you learn about yourself and about people,” she believes. Typically, football is not like judo, it is not like handball. We don’t have the same seasons, we don’t have the same ways of training, we can learn from all that. »
OUR FILE ON PSG
At his side, Arnau Tenas, replacement goalkeeper for Gigio Donnarumma and also titled in Paris with Spain – beating France in the final, which he did not fail to point out –, abounds. “Everyone knows the level of Niko, of Teddy. We all benefit from being inspired by athletes like that. In addition, they are good people, with whom we can discuss,” he appreciates. Naturally affable and quiet, the Spaniard had a good laugh during this meeting, ending with an Olympic quiz where he took great pleasure in giving wrong answers to American footballer Korbin Albert, also present.
If it were up to him, this kind of event would have to be organized at least once a month. They are still too rare, but I promise, the club is working on it. While waiting for all these beautiful people to meet at the Cafet’du Campus.
