Laurent Blanc has labelled Serge Aurier “pitiful” for the comments the player made on social media about him.

Aurier had conducted a question and answer session on Periscope – effectively being interviewed by his friend Mamadou Doucouré, a former reserve player at Lens and Atlético Madrid, late on Saturday night – in which he appeared to describe Blanc as a “faggot”.

Aurier also suggested Blanc has favored Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Aurier, a regular in the team this season, has apologised publicly for his comments. 

Blanc was asked about the incident at his pre-match briefing at Parc des Princes. “How did I react? Very badly. Very badly,” he said. “Because we think whatever we like – this is a democracy and we are free to think about things, have our opinions – but that boy …

“Two years ago, I committed myself to bring him to Paris, so to see what I saw yesterday … that’s the thanks I get? It’s pitiful. I won’t say more because I’m here to talk about the Chelsea game, a very important match, but he has penalised himself. He should have been preparing for a last-16 round game in the Champions League. That would have been better than staying at home not knowing what to do with himself. It’s bad for him but what I won’t accept is that he’s damaged the club.”