‘His Brother Came Instead’ – Jerome Rothen Slams Khvicha Kvaratskhelia Over PSG Form

Speaking on RMC, Jérôme Rothen took aim at Khvicha Kvaratskhelia over his attitude in the opening weeks of the season. The former Paris midfielder openly called out the 25-year-old winger for a glaring lack of physical intensity and commitment, even claiming harshly that it looks like his brother playing out on the pitch since the restart. The pundit voiced deep concern that the former SSC Napoli star no longer troubles opposing backlines, despite scoring in Salzburg during the 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup and setting up Marquinhos in the 1-2 defeat against AS Monaco on Friday, September 4, 2026.

The scathing remarks mark a stunning turnaround from the praise the pundit offered just weeks earlier. On Saturday, September 5, 2026, Jérôme Rothen still backed the Paris Saint-Germain forward as his clear frontrunner to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The declining output of the Parisian number 7 has led to reduced playing time in high-stakes matches. During the 2-1 victory against Olympique de Marseille at the Stade Vélodrome on Sunday, September 20, 2026, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was substituted at half-time without making an impact. His replacement Ferran Torres found the back of the net just 7 minutes after coming on, intensifying the immediate threat to the Georgian forward’s starting role.

Internal competition is ramping up as Paris Saint-Germain face a demanding autumn schedule. In the Champions League, the club will take on Manchester City on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Paris will then host FC Barcelona on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at the Parc des Princes. Paris will need every attacking option at full strength.