FC Sochaux refused to postpone its match of the 19th day of Ligue 2 against Caen scheduled for Saturday, the day of the funeral of the wife of the coach of the Norman club, a decision which aroused indignant reactions.
Caen had requested that the meeting be brought forward to Friday, or postponed to Sunday or Monday, due to the death on Wednesday of Armelle Moulin, the wife of Stade Malherbe coach Stéphane Moulin.
He had been absent since the resumption at the end of December to stay at the bedside of his seriously ill wife.
It was his deputy Patrice Sauvaget who was acting.
On social networks, many Internet users have expressed their indignation.
“Football is first and foremost a game. Clubs are families.
Unfortunately, as long as some forget it, we will continue to see pathetic behavior ”, reacted in particular in a tweet Pierre-Antoine Capton, co-owner of the Norman club.
"In these dramatic circumstances, I don't see how @SMCaen could play a football match at Sochaux on Saturday.
The place of the club is with Stéphane Moulin.
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In these dramatic circumstances, I don't see how @SMCaen could play a football match at Sochaux on Saturday.
The place of the club is with Stéphane Moulin.
https://t.co/JxCcsp4fON
— Pierre-Antoine Capton (@pacapton) January 12, 2023
Faced with this situation, the Sochaux club organized a press conference this Thursday at the end of the afternoon.
The general manager of FC Sochaux, Samuel Laurent, first expressed his sympathy for the Stade Malherbe de Caen.
“We are very saddened by what Stéphane Moulin and the @SMCaen are going through.
We have no enmity with this club, let it be very clear, ”he said, according to his comments reported on the Franche-Comté club's Twitter profile.
"We were offered three rescheduling options on Friday, Sunday or Monday, but it was impossible to do it on these dates for logistical reasons," continued Samuel Laurent.
“We are ready to be accommodating, but we have to be offered dates compatible with a minimum viable organization.
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“It's easy to make us look like the 'bad guys' when we have no problem rescheduling the match in principle,” he said.
For their part, the Professional Football League (LFP) and the broadcaster BeIN Sports had agreed to a postponement.
Before the 19th day of Ligue 2, Sochaux is 3rd in the standings and therefore a candidate for the rise in Ligue 1. SM Caen occupies eighth place.
