PSG midfielder Javier Pastore reveals two friends were killed in Paris terror attacks but will return due to his 'responsibility'

Pastore has claimed that he has a "responsibility" to return to Paris after last Friday's attacks left two of his friends dead among the 129 killed by terrorists

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 17 November 2015 05:06 EST
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Javier Pastore lost two friends in the Paris terror attacks
Javier Pastore lost two friends in the Paris terror attacks (Getty Images)

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Javier Pastore has revealed that two of his friends were killed in the Paris terror attacks last week, and admitted that he is struggling to come to terms with returning to the French capital to link up with Paris Saint Germain.

26-year-old Pastore was away on international duty with Argentina when the terrorist attacks his Paris last Friday that left 129 people dead. However, two of Pastore’s friends were among the 89 that died at the Bataclan theatre when three terrorists stormed an Eagles of Death Metal concert, and the midfielder has said that returning to the city will be hard but something he has to do.

“I have two friends who died in France, they lived three blocks from my house and they had gone to the concert,” Pastore told Argentinean TV station Teleocho.

“I have to go back, I work there and I have a responsibility. It is going to be moving.”

Pastore was forced to watch Argentina’s 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw last week from the sidelines after being ruled out with a thigh injury. The game had been postponed from Thursday until Friday after heavy rain hit Argentina’s Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, but as the game unfolded fans were left in shock as they found out the ongoing situation developing in Paris via their smartphones.

Pastore did not find out that his friends fell victim to the gunmen at the Bataclan until sometime after the attacks, but his reaction to travelling back to Paris has been somewhat different than that of his South American club colleagues.

Both Brazil’s David Luiz and Edinson Cavani of Uruguay have expressed concerns about going back to the capital after witnessing Friday horrific attacks, with Luiz stressing that if it was his decision he would not return at all because he no longer feels safe.

Luiz did return to Paris yesterday on orders of the club as he is suspended for Brazil’s clash with Peru tonight given he was sent-off against Argentina, but he took to Twitter to say that he had no objections against returning despite what he had previously told reporters.

"[The people] who like to talk nonsense about nothing, will know I returned by order of the Club. And that is respectfully accepted,” Luiz wrote on Twitter.

"I would willingly stay with the group until the end, but sometimes we have to have common sense and understand their situations and moments! God bless you guys."

Paris survivor on the attacks

Cavani meanwhile is said to have spoken to his international team-mate Alvaro Gonzalez about his reservations over returning to his club side. Gonzalez said earlier this week: "This is horrible, for football and for the city. They spoke of the fact that David Luiz would not return to Paris and Edinson said he would rather not have to go either."

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