Samir Nasri will not appear on Canal+ coverage of the Champions League final after withdrawing from the role he had already been confirmed for. The former Arsenal midfielder says PSG supporters crossed a line when they insulted his mother, but he also says that was not the only reason behind his decision.

Why Nasri stepped away

Nasri made 125 appearances for Arsenal between 2008 and 2011, and 176 for Manchester City. That is part of why this landed so loudly: he is not a detached outside voice, and he is not pretending to be one. In his own words, the abuse from Paris Saint Germain fans became personal.

"What bothered me was that they insulted my mother. That's not why I'm not going to Budapest for the final," Nasri told express.co.uk. He also said: "It's part of the game as a former Marseille player to get insulted by Parisian fans. Even though I think they had other things to do, like celebrating qualifying for the final."

That second quote matters because it shows the decision was not reduced to one incident alone. Nasri accepts that some hostility comes with his background, but he still chose to step away from the final broadcast rather than front it out.

Why his PSG opinion still matters

There is also a football view attached to this, and Nasri did not hide it. He said: "In terms of what PSG is developing, I see them as favourites. On the other hand, Arsenal will be in a phase that they like. They will wait for PSG. But I see PSG."

That makes the withdrawal more awkward than a standard punditry change. He was already a relevant voice on the tie, both because of his Arsenal past and because he was prepared to back Paris Saint Germain publicly. Recent numbers give that view some support too. In the last five meetings between Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain, Arsenal have one win, PSG have two wins and there have been two draws.

Form before the final points in different directions. Arsenal have four wins in five, while PSG have two wins, two draws and one loss in their last five. Nasri is still sticking with PSG, and on the evidence available here, that is a football opinion rather than a loyalty reflex.

The bigger story, though, is the withdrawal itself. Nasri had been set for the final broadcast, then stepped away after the abuse he described. That is the part that will follow him into the final, not the punditry panel he will now miss.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →