Paris Saint-Germain have announced that full-back Serge Aurier has been suspended indefinitely and will not feature in their Champions League match against Chelsea on Tuesday.
The Ivory Coast international, 23, is set to be disciplined by the French champions after taking part in an extraordinary live Periscope session during which he insulted manager Laurent Blanc and several teammates.
As well as Blanc, Aurier gave forthright opinions on players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel Di Maria and Salvatore Sirigu and the video was quickly circulated by French media outlets.
L'Equipe reported that the former Toulouse defender was absent from training on Sunday as a result of the broadcast and on Sunday evening PSG acknowledged that they are investigating Aurier's behaviour.
"This video, filmed in a private setting, contains comments that are clearly unacceptable coming from a Paris Saint-Germain player, towards certain teammates and in particular towards the manager Laurent Blanc," a club statement said.
Aurier has been hugely impressive at right-back for the Ligue 1 leaders this season but, following discussions with PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi, the club have opened disciplinary proceedings and suspended the player.
The club statement also confirmed that Aurier will not be included in the PSG squad for Tuesday's Champions League last 16 first-leg match against Chelsea in Paris.
"Paris Saint-Germain would like to express its full support for its manager, Laurent Blanc, and to the players who could feel, with just cause, offended by remarks that are contrary to all the values of the club," the statement said.
In an interview broadcast on Sunday night, Aurier asked for forgiveness from everyone he had offended.
"I've done something really stupid," he said in a video posted to PSG's official website. "I'm here to apologise to the coach, my teammates, the club and the supporters. Because I think that today they're the most important people at the club and I think it's normal to apologise to them."
He said he owed Laurent Blanc the biggest apology and is ready for whatever the fallout might be.
"I'd like to apologise in particular to my coach. I think that today I can only thank him for everything he's done for me here since my arrival at PSG. He wanted me and I came and it's gone really well.
"I think I owe him a lot for his advice and that's why I'm apologising this evening for everything which was said and which I sincerely regret."
"I accept all the penalties that the club will have for me as a result of this story. I did something stupid and I'm unforgivable. So I'm ready to take responsibility for all the consequences."
In the club's announcement, PSG president Al-Khelaifi vowed that Aurier's actions would not be allowed to destabilise the club.
"I took the decision to suspend Serge Aurier," Al-Khelaifi said. "Paris Saint-Germain is a very strong institution which no one can touch.
"I will not allow anyone to put the club in difficulty and distract us from our objectives, starting with our meeting with Chelsea, which is eagerly awaited by our supporters.
"All the energies of the club, those of the players like those of the manager and his staff, are from now on focused on this very important and priority date for us and for all of our fans."
Last year, Aurier was forced to apologise for comments he made about referee Bjorn Kuipers after Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off in a heated Champions League encounter with Chelsea.
Aurier was later banned by UEFA for three gamesas a result of the remarks, which the PSG player had made in a video posted on social media.
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