Blur and cacophony. After the announcement of the deconfinement plan presented Tuesday by Edouard Philippe, and the various reactions of the players in the world of football, many questions remain unanswered. What do we know? What calendar? What consequences? Lighting.
No hope of resuming the 2019-20 season?
Back to training around May 11, resumption of the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 championships in mid-June and end of the season on June 25? It was the plan envisaged by the authorities of French football. Plan that collided with that of the Prime Minister, the latter having prohibited sports competitions until September and recorded the end of the 2019-20 fiscal year before the National Assembly. Although, the Sports Ministry was quick to clarify: "The leagues can consider ending their season in August, or in September, they decide." President of the French Football Federation (FFF), Noël Le Graët, closed the door to a resumption of the 2019-20 season in Le Télégramme, Tuesday, already turning to the next. It is nevertheless the Board of Directors of the Professional Football League (LFP) "which will have to formally decide to end the season". Despite the hopes of some, such as President Aulas, who proposes the holding of play-offs, the (very) heavy trend is actually, according to our information, to a definitive end to the 2019-20 season. The CA of the LFP could also be held by the end of the week, in the wake of the meeting of the Bureau, responsible for "studying the sports and economic consequences of the measures announced by the Prime Minister". Note that the solution that would have been to end the season in the fall "was not approved by UEFA", as Mr. Aulas slipped to AFP .
» READ ALSO - End of the L1 season: the LFP will study the economic consequences on Thursday
What about the European cups?
Two French clubs are still in contention in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain (qualified for the quarter-finals) and Olympique Lyonnais (who must play an 8th return). And UEFA intends to complete its competitions. Perhaps in August, with the date of May 29 advanced here and there for the final of the C1, the 27 for the Europa League. Such a schedule could be compatible with the government plan. In any case, PSG wants to go to the end of the European season. At all costs. "If it is not possible to play in France, we will play our matches abroad, ensuring the best health security conditions for our players and all our staff", insists Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, via RMC Sport .
What financial consequences?
They will be terrible, inevitably. Stopped since mid-March, the little world of French football is, like others, a disaster sector. According to an estimate by the Ministry of Sports, the losses of the clubs of L1 and L2 in case of non-resumption of the championships would amount to 1.16 billion euros! “It will be very hard for some, agrees Le Graët. The season has to start in August because we know the figures (for new TV rights, editor's note) for next year. ” Namely 4.613 billion euros in total over the next four seasons, with Mediapro as the main broadcaster. On the other hand, the TV rights for the 2019-20 season would therefore not be paid in full. Canal + and beIN Sports should not pay the last installments. This will represent 240 million shortfalls according to the amounts advanced by L'Equipe .
» READ ALSO - End of the L1 season? Aulas is "not sure" and offers "play-offs"
What modalities for the end of the season?
The debates promise to be heated. The regulations leaving the door open to all interpretations, it will be at the General Assembly of the LFP (mid-May?) To decide. Although the FFF Executive Committee has a right of scrutiny. "It is the federation which decides in the last resort", promises Noël Le Graët, believing that there is "no other solution" than to rely on the "last day for the European teams, unless the final of the Coupe de France, which has priority, can be played, and that Saint-Etienne wins ”, and judges, based on“ the application of the rules ”, that two relegates and two are needed promoted. In any case, there will be disappointed. The authorities will endeavor to take the least unfair, and above all the most unassailable solution to decide on the award of a title of champion, European tickets and relegations / promotions. Nobody wants to attend a multiplication of appeals which would freeze the situation for long months ... First country to have definitively stopped its championship, the Netherlands have opted for a season without champion or relegated. One thing is certain: with a view to the 2020-21 European Cups, UEFA is awaiting a decision before 25 May and asks the associations to determine the qualified on the basis of "sporting merit in the 2019-20 national competitions" . There is therefore no question of returning to the results of the 2018-19 season.
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- Ligue 1 ranking
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