- The ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people in France should concern the world of sport.
- In Ligue 1, players and coaches are preparing to play behind closed doors.
If football has taken an immense place in society, it is not considered as something in the interest of the nation. Suddenly, it is very likely that the ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people in France decreed by the government on Sunday to fight against the coronavirus concerns Ligue 1 in the days and weeks to come.
Consequence: all matches in the championship could be played, at best, behind closed doors. For the moment, nothing is official yet. But while a meeting is to be held this Monday at the sports ministry, the Ligue 1 coaches are slowly starting to prepare for this possibility.
"I prefer to play behind closed doors rather than postpone or cancel the matches"
“The health situation is certainly serious when we make these kinds of decisions. We must comply with this decision. There are no comments to make. If everyone plays behind closed doors, everyone will be on an equal footing. People will be watching TV to watch the games. I prefer to play behind closed doors rather than postpone or cancel the games. If we cancel, the calendar will no longer allow us to play. We will adapt. "Assures Christophe Galtier, the Losc coach.
"These are measures that must be respected because the main concern is the health aspect. We always prefer to play in full stadiums but if we have to play behind closed doors, we will play behind closed doors ”, says Rudi Garcia, the coach from Lyon.
Our file on the coronavirus
"For all those who love football, it's a shame"
Same fatalism on the side of the players. "For all those who love football, players and supporters, it's a shame", recognizes Benjamin André, the Lille environment. “Football must be a celebration and a fervor with the supporters, whether at home or away. I have already had the opportunity to play matches behind closed doors and it is not the ones I have preferred, "admits Lucas Tousart, a midfielder from Lyon who could quickly relive those bad memories.
Sport
Losc-OL: Lille clinch Lyon in the podium race
Health
Coronavirus: France bans gatherings of more than 1,000 people
- Health
- Lyon
- League 1
- Lille
- Coronavirus
- Soccer
- Sport