This is the inevitable consequence of the cessation of football matches for a month and a half, and the explosion of the coronavirus crisis: without spectators in stadiums or broadcasters' checks, Ligue 1 clubs have no more income and find it increasingly difficult to assume huge payrolls. Especially since negotiations between leaders and players do not systematically succeed.
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Almost everywhere in Europe, compromises were found more easily: at AS Rome, the players gave up four months' salary to help their club cope during the crisis. In Barcelona, footballers have announced a 70% cut in their wages. At Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, we talk about 10% to 20% less revenue.
PSG negotiations
As for Paris Saint-Germain, it has been negotiating hard for two weeks, without success. But Pablo Sarabia assures him: there is good will among the players. "The captain talks a lot with the leaders, and even we between players we talk about it," explains the Spanish midfielder to Europe 1. "Anything we can do to help clubs and France, we will try to do it . "
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However, nothing is really acted out: according to L'Équipe , the exchanges would relate to "a reduction of 20 to 30% of the remuneration of the players", who are already on partial unemployment since the beginning of April. In France, therefore, high wages do not want to say goodbye to half their income, as a framework agreement provides. The negotiations therefore continue: at Olympique Lyonnais, President Jean-Michel Aulas even wrote to his players to tell them about solidarity and responsibility. But as in Marseille or Monaco, this has not yet succeeded.
"Let us all make efforts"
Will this change in the coming weeks? "We have an agreement with the players' union to partially put in partial unemployment with lower wages," said Europe 1 Jean-Pierre Rivère, president of OGC Nice. On Monday evening, L'Équipe revealed that the government had validated the agreement between players and management. The clubs are going to be exempt from employers' charges linked to the 70% of wages earned by players placed on partial unemployment.
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But "to have the continuation, it is necessary to have the answer on the moment of the restarting", defends Jean-Pierre Rivère, in favor of a resumption of the championship in September. "To manage to modify our football and pass this crisis in the best conditions, all the players in football will have to sit around a table and make efforts. There is a financial difficulty, which concerns everyone, but I think that reason will prevail at some point. If everyone wants to continue to see football in the best conditions, we will have to make every effort. "