Paris (AFP)

The only major football league not to restart its season, France, which whips to reduce the economic and sporting gap separating it from its neighbors, sees its hopes of recovery seriously complicated. The end of the illusion of a "Big 5" of the European championships?

In the country of world champions, the latest League estimates (LFP) reported "more than 500 million euros" in losses to be feared due to the end of the championship, including more than 200 million in TV rights, according to a French soccer leader.

Jean-Michel Aulas, the president of Lyon is up against this anticipated end of the season, has even blackened the picture. "All this will lead us to an economic catastrophe: 700, 800, 900 million euros in losses as of June 30 for the clubs," he hammered at the start of the week on France Info.

Such an argument seems to have been carried more outside of France. By resuming their championship, the clubs in Germany hope to save 300 million euros in TV rights by ending the season. In England, it's almost 850 million euros ...

But it's not just TV rights and the damage could be heavy for L1.

"This loss of income can also be measured on the image effects, on sponsors, partners and customers of clubs which will be long without activity", develops Loïc Ravenel, scientific collaborator at the Center international d'études du sport de Neuchâtel (Swiss).

- "Lack of exposure" -

The arrival this summer of the broadcaster Mediapro, mainly responsible for the explosion of domestic TV rights in France (1.217 billion euros pledged annually until 2024 for the French championships), was to propel French clubs into a another dimension ...

Above all, it will make up for the losses, especially since it will be necessary to punctuate the contract 224.5 million euros over four years, corresponding to the amount of the loan guaranteed by the State subscribed by the League to relieve the treasuries.

And the future of TV rights, international in particular, is not rosy for the "Talent League" at a standstill, especially against an English Premier League which will exhibit its matches and its stars in the coming weeks.

"Already that the L1 was not widely distributed abroad, with this situation where all competitors in markets such as Asia will be broadcast, it may be more difficult to renegotiate upward rights," said Loïc Ravenel.

This specialist also expects a "decrease in the value of the players" and French clubs "in a weak position" when selling.

Other voices, like that of Bernard Caïazzo, president of the union Premier League gathering the majority of the teams of Ligue 1, underline in the contrasts that it was necessary "to hope" that the neighboring championships resume so that they can buy in France.

- The UEFA index plummets -

The only French windows of the coming summer: Paris SG and Lyon, still involved in the Champions League. The exploits of these two clubs, if the C1 ends well in August, would save the sporting side of French football.

Because this season, apart from these two teams, hexagonal football has looked pale, with in all and for all a single victory to be divided between Lille (C1), Rennes and Saint-Etienne (Europa League), pitifully eliminated from the World Cups. 'Europe.

Not ideal to hope to eventually have more than two tickets directly qualifying for the C1 in the game of the famous UEFA index.

On this date, and pending the end of European competitions, France, 5th in the UEFA ranking, saw the gap separating it from the "top 4" more than doubling since the start of the season. Now, it is much closer to Portugal, 6th, than to Italy, 4th ...

"Basically, this concept of + Big Five + is an intellectual construction even if the figures show that France is closer to the four major championships than leagues + secondary +", points Loïc Ravenel.

"The increase in spreads already existed before the crisis, maybe they will increase a little with this distorted competition", he continues. "But the crisis can also sign the starting point for better regulation of the markets, where France, by its training and the youth of its League for example, would have assets to assert".

In the meantime, summer will give pride of place to "Big 4". And France should be the fifth wheel of the carriage ...

© 2020 AFP