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Football

22nd Jan 2019

Memphis Depay shuts down Saint-Étienne fans for their cruel banner

Simon Lloyd

Lyon won 2-1 at Saint-Étienne over the weekend

Memphis Depay has used his Twitter account to respond to the Saint-Étienne supporters who held aloft a cruel banner about his troubled history with his father during the Ligue 1 game with Lyon on Sunday.

‘Memphis – 5 million followers but no dad, ‘ the banner unfurled by some of the home supporters at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium read.

The Dutch international has spoken in the past about how his father left him and his mother when he was a small child.

Having seen a picture of the banner on social media, the 24-year-old initially responded by correcting its reference to his Instagram following, which actually stands at 5.9 million.

Following this, he insisted he had nothing against those responsible for the banner, suggesting it was made as a result of jealousy.

He wrote: ‘I have nothing against the people who did this. I know they low key love me!

‘I also know they mad they just mad they don’t have 1 player with the same quality like me.

‘It doesn’t bother me 1 second, I just wanted to say some things about it. 0 points against us this season i can imagine what that feels like. Should I continue…?

‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, I leave it by that! God bless everybody! Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only love can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, love can do that.’

Memphis, who started his career at PSV Eindhoven, moved to Lyon in January 2017 after an underwhelming 18-months spell at Manchester United. Since his arrival in France, his performances have steadily improved and he has also played a key role in the resurgence of the Dutch national side, who will face England in the Uefa Nations League semi-finals in summer.