The president of the PSG Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, designated by the Office of the League (LFP) to negotiate with Canal + on the TV rights of the L1 despite his quality of boss of beIN, has the "confidence" of the presidents of clubs, have assured several leaders this Sunday.
Read also: Arm wrestling between Canal + and the Football League on TV rights
" We have more than confidence ", hammered during a telephone press point Bernard Caïazzo, the president of the union of the clubs of L1 Premier League and the supervisory board of Saint-Etienne. " I am not sure that at the in the Place de Nasser, in the same situation, many would have accepted the mission. For his part, it shows a courage and a real desire to defend the interest of football (...) If we had only one doubt about his commitment, we would not have (designated) ", added Mr. Caïazzo , member of the LFP Bureau.
Al-Khelaïfi, although boss of beIN Media Group, the parent company of beIN Sports, the other broadcaster of the French Championship, was chosen by this Bureau along with three other presidents of L1 clubs to chat with Canal +, the encrypted channel having suspended payments relating to the TV rights contract due to the suspension of the championship due to coronavirus.
"Save everyone"
A choice that was not without raising questions about possible conflicts of interest, in particular if this negotiating committee were to also meet with beIN Sports, which also interrupted its payments.
Football League: "Canal + still owes us 35 million euros"
" The people we send will defend the 40 professional clubs in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. There are all the egos to put aside, the only thing that matters is to save everyone and for that we send our best (elements) ", retorted Nicolas Holveck, the new president of Rennes. “Nasser did not offer, we asked him. We have to be clear, ”insisted Gérard Lopez, president of Lille.
Associated with Olivier Sadran (Toulouse), Jacques-Henri Eyraud (Marseille) and Jean-Pierre Rivère (Nice), "NAK" will have the heavy task of "clarifying the situation ", according to Caïazzo, while Canal + was to pay 110 million on Sunday euros to the LFP, a windfall then redistributed to clubs. Part of which (43 million euros), according to several leaders, would be due because it corresponds to matches " already delivered ". An argument that Canal refutes.
" One might think that (Al-Khelaïfi) is one of us who can be the most reassured (faced with the crisis, given the finances of the PSG), stay in his corner and take care of nobody, and it is just the opposite. It is an incredible investment , ”said Nicolas Holveck.
