That must be it, the magic of the Coupe de France. You can never predict the outcome of a match, even between opponents of disparate levels. Nor can we guess who will go … the recipe for the meeting. When they face amateurs, some professional clubs have the habit of giving back their half of the prize pool. Others do not.
On January 5, the "big" OM left their match against Trélissac (Dordogne) without leaving anything to the "small" fourth division club (N2), if not an unpleasant feeling of stinginess. For the 16the final that opposed him, Friday, January 17, in Granville (Manche), another boarder of the fourth division, Marseille had, even before his trip, promised " a gesture ".
Beyond the controversy that this episode sparked, there remains a broader and more difficult question: What redistribution of wealth in the land of the Blues, reigning world champions? What funding, above all, for the approximately 14,700 amateur clubs?
The Coupe de France can pay off
For the luckiest, the Coupe de France, in addition to the revenue from matches, can pay big dividends to clubs at the bottom of the scale. Despite his brutal elimination (6-0) against the stars of Paris-Saint-Germain, two weeks ago, Linas-Montlhéry assured himself a premium of 52,500 euros for reaching 32es final. A guaranteed sum once this regional level club has reached the ninth round of the competition. Almost a quarter of its operating budget.
Some clubs can also count on the fallout from their training efforts, in accordance with the regulations of the International Football Federation. This season, Linas-Montlhéry can thus count on 300,000 euros in compensation, which will be spread over five years, for midfielder Tanguy Ndombele (2009-2011), for of his lucrative transfer from Lyon to Tottenham (some 60 million euros), in the summer of 2019.
“Between these training allowances and our recent journey in the Coupe de France, we are really living in an extraordinary year”, agrees Michaël Bertansetti, president of the Essonnian club. Who adds, fatalist: "But we'll never see that again, much like Halley's comet. "
Three envelopes
For the majority of amateur clubs, the situation is often less scintillating, and everyday life more uncertain. Contacted by The world, the French Football Federation (FFF) assures, however, that it plays collectively.
