The French football is far from playing as a team. Meeting by videoconference on Wednesday, the general assembly of the League of professional football (LFP) voted for the enlargement of the Ligue 2 with twenty-two clubs for the next season. A decision that reveals once again the divide between the LFP and the French football Federation (FFF) as its president Noël Le Graët has always been opposed to this idea. From a sporting point of view, this new format would primarily impact on the amount of matches, the number of relégations and the distribution of the rights tv. But the FFF will give the last word.
The League 2 risk-t-it to become the only championship, whether it is professional or amateur, to not register the slightest relegation at the end of this season, amputated in France ? Voted with a narrow majority of votes (57 %), the enlargement of the Ligue 2 with twenty-two clubs would both Orleans (20th) and Le Mans (19th), the two poor students of L2 this season, to avoid relegation, while allowing Pau (1) and Dunkirk (2nd), the two leaders of National 1, to be promoted. In the bottom of the ranking, Le Puy Foot 43 (15th) and the AS Béziers (16th) should also avoid a descent into the fourth division, while the US Boulogne Côte d’opale (3rd) intends to play his dam accession to the antechamber of the elite.
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On the sport, this decision would clearly cause an increase in the number of matches (42 instead of 38) and would mean that four teams were relegated the following season. Finally, regarding the TV rights, the debate continues within the French football. The clubs of League 2, subject to a ceiling of their TV rights annual set at 110 million euros, are granted to request an uncapping (to the tune of € 162 million), with the arrival of Médiapro next year. However, the L2 does not decide alone and the clubs of L1 will have to agree to share the cake, because unanimity is required. And with two extra guests for the year 2020-2021, nothing is gained ! For the time being, the Ligue 1 has agreed to grant to the League 2 eur 25 million over the next season, on condition of obtaining a reform of the governance of French football. The two divisions attempt to reach an agreement by 20 June.
To a rejection of the FFF ?
The case is in the hands of the executive committee of the FFF, which must pronounce on the topic in the days to come. Through its ” Comex “, the 3F is able to reject the vote of the LFP. And, according to the recent statements, there is a strong chance that this project never gets done. In fact, as early as the end of the month of April, the Federation had made it known that it wished to “an overall coherence between the different divisions, amateur and professional” and that it would be “vigilant” on this issue after having maintained the principle of the climbs/descents in the lower categories. Fierce advocate of this system, and be faithful to his line manager, the president of the FFF, Noël Le Graët, has always refuted this idea, even when the agreement that binds the two proceedings authorizes a second division with up to twenty-two clubs more.” Except the unlikely coup de theatre, Noël Le Graët should not be over-ruled by his executive committee and that decision should be rejected.
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even that in addition to upsetting the timing of the season 2020-2021, this League 2 to 22 would weaken heavily the decisions taken recently, which are the subject of appeal by several clubs. Toulouse and Amiens, relegated from the L1 to the L2, had actually called for the passage of the Ligue 1 with twenty-two clubs for the next season to avoid relegation. The club picard has even filed two appeals to the administrative tribunal of Paris to challenge his relegation pronounced on 30th April by the board of directors of the LFP. Atmosphere…
