Jean-Michel Aulas puts French football on his back by evoking a "white season" of Ligue 1

The media outings of Jean-Michel Aulas, the influential president of Olympique Lyonnais, rarely leave anyone indifferent. The one that appeared in the columns of World, Friday, as for a possible cancellation of the championship of Ligue 1, suspended because of the coronavirus, has completely jumped the medium of French football.

If the coronavirus epidemic continues to disrupt the French championship in the coming weeks, "Then the most logical would be to say: “we cancel everything and we go back to the situation at the start of the season” ", had launched the boss of OL who would greatly benefit from this situation, by allowing Lyon, away from European places ten days before the term, to be qualified for the next Champions League, as their second place acquired at the end of last season.

In his arguments, the Lyon leader believes that this would avoid "To those who are concerned with the bottom of the table to turn against the LFP and the FFF". A legal argument swept by the Professional Football League.

"The only way to avoid recourse is for the competitions to come to an end", replied its executive director Didier Quillot, on Saturday to the L’Equipe newspaper’s website, mentioning the commitments made to broadcasters.

“Indecent” and “opportunistic” idea

"Football is solidarity between the forty clubs (from L1 and L2) and all the players in football. These words are only his. ", had earlier tackled the president of the League, Nathalie Boy de la Tour, questioned by BeIN Sports.

Early Saturday evening, Jean-Michel Aulas clarified on Canal + that he wanted "Obviously" end the current fiscal year. "I didn’t overlook the opportunity to finish the championship at all. The question was what would happen if the championship was not over ", he defended himself.

Its competitors Marseille and Rennes have in any case stepped up to denounce an idea "Indecent". "If unfortunately the championship were to stop definitively, it would seem to me to be sportingly fair that the classification be confirmed on the evening of the last day played (…)", pointed out the President of Rennes, Jacques Delanoë.

But the most virulent charge came from Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the president of Olympique de Marseille who, in a column published on the website of the Sunday newspaper, Saturday March 14 castigated "The obscenity of (an) opportunistic proposition" and "The selfishness of one whose only compass is his participation in the Champions League".

"We know Jean-Michel Aulas' obsessive will to defend OL by all means. But the string is a little big this time. Is it really to love and respect football when, without the slightest consultation, we suggest denying the 28 days of championship already disputed? ", he writes.

"Inconceivable" for Blaquart, however barrage

Before the controversy, all the Ligue 1 clubs had in any case expressed their desire to see the championship find its conclusion on the field, even if it means extending the exercise beyond May.

"We might end up a little later but it's not a problem for my taste. If we finish the championship, it will be the same teams ", therefore "Equity" will be respected, explained Strasbourg coach Thierry Laurey, adding: "If we cancel, how are you doing for Europe?" ".

The qualification for European places, precisely, is the objective which encourages AS Monaco, 9th with the same number of points as Lyon, to continue the current exercise. "I want to go up the rankings. Everyone knows that I made changes (dismissal of Leonardo Jardim) in the middle of the championship and that I expect a lot ", recognized Oleg Petrov, the vice-president of the Monegasque club.

A white season, without relegation, would be of service to teams currently in danger, like Toulouse (20^e), Amiens (19^e) or even Nîmes, in a barrage position. But the Crocodile trainer doesn't want to hear about such a solution. "In any case, we could not welcome such a decision. It is inconceivable even if Nîmes, today, would benefit from it ", says Bernard Blaquart.

In the event of a resumption of the Championship, the League and the clubs will nevertheless be faced with a puzzle to schedule the last ten days before June 30, the date of the end of the contract for many players.