Calendar management is turning Ligue 1 upside down!

“With a view to promoting the progress of French clubs in European Cups considering that the improvement of France’s UEFA index remains an essential objective, the Board of Directors of the LFP decided this Friday, April 19, 2024 to adjust the schedule of the two clubs qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League (Paris Saint-Germain) and the Europa League (Olympique de Marseille) and thus put them in the best position for the semi-finals”. Through a press release, the Professional Football League, which had already opted for this reorganization during the quarter-finals of the various European Cups, formalized the postponement of the matches of PSG, qualified for the semi-finals. finals of the Champions League, and Olympique de Marseille, present in the last four of the Europa League. A decision that did not fail to provoke a reaction from the various clubs in the French football elite.

The LFP fully behind PSG and OM!

As a reminder, the LFP Board of Directors has decided to schedule the Stade de Reims – Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice – Paris Saint-Germain meetings counting for the 32nd day of Ligue 1 Uber Eats for Wednesday May 15, 2024 at 9:00 p.m. . As Stade de Reims and OGC Nice are impacted by these developments, the body has also decided to bring forward the Stade Brestois 29 – Stade de Reims and OGC Nice – Havre AC matches, counting for the 33rd day of Ligue 1 Uber Eats , until Friday May 10, 2024. Finally, due to the participation of Olympique de Marseille in the Europa League semi-final return the previous Thursday, all other matches of the 33rd day of Ligue 1 Uber Eats will take place on Sunday May 12, 2024 at 9:00 p.m. Directly impacted by these postponements, OGC Nice, through the voice of its coach Francesco Farioli, did not wish to be scandalized.

“It’s a pleasure for French football. Two teams competing for a chance to play in the final. It’s okay to do everything to help them. On the one hand I understand, on the other I would like to have a little more regularity, but again it is not something that we control and we will try to do our best”commented the Italian technician adding, despite everything, that he would have liked “more regularity” for his team. And for good reason. With this new program, the Gym is preparing to experience an intense final sprint with matches every three days. A busy schedule which also challenged Morgan Sanson, midfielder of the Aiglons. “Obviously it’s weird. I wouldn’t say it’s penalizing, but it’s special. We have a month, but in fact we have two weeks of competition. We’re going to play three games, we’re going to have two weeks, we’re going to replay three games in the last week. This is a first for all of us. Now, we are asked to be on the field at that time, we will do everything to be efficient”.

A positioning approved by some…

If the decision taken by the LFP also provoked the ire of certain leaders, other actors prefer to highlight the effort of the body to place the two French clubs in ideal conditions on the European scene. “I think it’s useful for these teams and for French football. We could also be in the same situation next season, so we support this decision.recognized, in this capacity, Adi Hütter, the coach of the Asemists, currently occupying one of the two directly qualifying places for the Champions League. “It can change, but currently, Brest, Lille and us are going to fight for these two places. (…) For the moment, yes, but we don’t know what could happen over the next three days”. Questioned, in this sense, at a press conference, Jean-Louis Gasset, coach of OM, also logically defended this decision which is favorable to him.

“I can’t do much about it. I read like you. When we have more recovery, we are happy. We have a week with three matches because we postponed the Nice match. Of course we like to have more juice for Europe, but the championship matches have to be postponed at a certain point.. In the wake of the Marseille technician, Jean-Pierre Caillot, president of the Stade de Reims and the college of Ligue 1 clubs in the Professional Football League (LFP), also wanted to support this redevelopment. “When Pablo Longoria (editor’s note, the president of OM) called me yesterday morning, even before the Football League called me to find out my feelings, I had no moment of hesitation. We can say whatever we want, distorted, not distorted, I don’t know. There is a reality, which is that we have been saying over and over for years that we want to exist on the European scene, that we need a good UEFA index. And when faced with the situation, I think you should not look at your personal interest. For the general interest of football, its ecosystem, clubs must adapt. That’s exactly how I see things.”first noted the Reims leader, this Saturday morning, in the Grandes Gueules du Sport on RMC Sport.

Relaunched on these various reports, the latter also insisted on the notion of solidarity in order to allow OM and PSG to achieve the best possible journey. An all the more important issue at a time when the LFP is seeking to promote, as best as possible, the image of French football for TV rights for the period 2024-2029. “I am also president of the college of Ligue 1 clubs. With Vincent Labrune, we bring a new vision, a new organization of football and the league. The first thing is to support our European clubs who have also thanked us. We have a Whatsapp of the presidents on which we communicate with each other and I can tell you that, as soon as they were qualified, they thanked all the presidents of Ligue 1 clubs for their solidarity. Because once again, it’s easy to say that we are unanimous, that we are united when we are not confronted. It’s when we are faced with the situation, as is the case, and God knows it’s magnificent for our football. This is especially what we need to look at”, then agreed, in this sense, the boss of the SdR. A clear-cut position but very far from being approved by all the clubs.

… violently criticized by others!

With this in mind, Jean-Michel Roussier, president of the HAC, did not wait for the various postponements to be made official to express his dissatisfaction. If the meeting between PSG in Le Havre will indeed be held next Saturday at 9 p.m., the boss of Ciel et Marine did not fail to send a salty message to the LFP. “It was the icing on the cake of a week of anger building. The week began when the League informed me that in the event that PSG – which I sincerely hope for them – passed the Barcelona stage and played a semi-final, the match against Le Havre (J31) would perhaps be shifted between the 33rd and 34th day. This is how my anger started”. An approach not appreciated by Jean-Michel Roussier whom he found, in fact, unfair and disloyal in the fight for maintenance: “I said to the League ‘you’re dreaming, you think that in the situation we’re in, I’m going to agree to make a trip to Nice then to the Parc before hosting OM! You’re crazy!’ In addition, we are between the penultimate and the last day, the regulations stipulate that these two days are protected. So I say no straight away, it’s out of the question. There will be every recourse and believe me I will exhaust all recourses. If there has to be an under-17 team like at the time, there will be an U17 team (…) I want to play at the Park on April 27, not between the 33rd and 34th day ».

Already in conflict with the authorities concerning the contract signed with CVC, the HAC is not the only club to denounce the positioning of the League. Questioned at a press conference this Friday, Pierre Sage, the strong man of OL, also regretted the lack of fairness for the teams currently fighting to maintain their position. “There are advantages for French football because it is good to give the clubs concerned weapons to fight. Conversely, it changes the situation a little for their championship opponents. Despite everything, we realize that Lorient will have to play two matches in a week while they are playing off. People change and so do decision-makers. I am not here to decide for them, we are just subject to their decisions. We behave like good students”. A speech close to that given by Eric Roy, author of an exceptional season with Stade Brestois, second in the French championship with five days remaining.

“What I find strange is that it is only in France that we do this. From the moment you are qualified, you prepare for your season. They sold us the fact of reducing Ligue 1 from 20 to 18, they took away a cup (of the League). We’ve done all that and we’re still adjusting things. I support French clubs in the European Cup. Afterwards, understanding it, no. That means we’re not capable. I don’t understand the fact that we are developing things. If it allows us to go further, so much the better. I say that not because I think it will put us at a disadvantage. I do not know. I think it’s a bit special. I imagine that the opponents of Lille, of PSG, it complicates their schedule… I don’t know if it’s an admission of weakness but it’s something that can challenge”, railed the Brest coach. While waiting to know if the Parisian club will manage to win the first Champions League in its history and if OM will achieve a resounding feat in the Europa League, the management of the French calendar has not finished dividing…