Ligue 1 will celebrate its return to a totally unusual period, with a 16th day scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, then a 17th day on January 1 and 2.
To say that only ten days ago, France was playing the fourth World Cup final in its history against Argentina.
Between difficulties in immersing themselves in this quasi-French Boxing Day and boycott of certain matches by groups,
20 Minutes
interviewed four supporters of different clubs to take the pulse of the risks of football indigestion.
Only ten days ago, you were vibrating as rarely during Kylian Mbappé's two equalizers against Argentina.
Even when you are addicted to Ligue 1, and especially to your favorite club, can you really immerse yourself in a Troyes-Nantes, a Brest-OL, or even a PSG-Strasbourg this Wednesday?
Are we not purely and simply risking a gargantuan post-meal indigestion with Qatari sauce during this resumption of our championship?
Four witnesses, supporters of Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and Nantes, will help us see more clearly on this unusual calendar resembling French Boxing Day, with these two Ligue 1 days placed between December 28 and January 2. .
Sylvain (40), Parisian supporter, before PSG-Strasbourg this Wednesday (9 p.m.), then Lens-PSG on Sunday (8:45 p.m.)
"I think it's been several years since championship days could have been played during the holidays like in England.
It's an ideal time to follow football, people are ready, with family and often on vacation, "said Sylvain, even if he admits" not being super excited by this recovery "concerning PSG.
“But it will be interesting to see how we will manage the match in Lens without certain internationals, and in the first place Messi.
It can potentially revive the suspense of the championship.
»
More than the absence of the Argentinian striker, Sylvain fears recovering the Brazilians "at the bottom of the hole" after their premature elimination against Croatia.
"Yes, I'm worried about Neymar and Marquinhos, it doesn't bode well for the Champions League," he insists.
Because like every year, the real date ticked by the Parisian supporters is obviously not this resumption in Ligue 1 but the two boiling clashes of February 14 and March 8 against Bayern Munich.
For him, these two matches of the week are comparable to a seasonal dish (although): "It's like a raclette with friends between Christmas and New Year. We've probably already eaten too much football with this great World Cup to be continued, we are moderately hungry, but we return with pleasure.
»
Nicolas (33), Lyon supporter, before Brest-OL this Wednesday (9 p.m.), then OL-Clermont on Sunday (5 p.m.)
Don't count on Nicolas, or most of the Olympique Lyonnais followers, to share Sylvain's enthusiasm.
Between the current 8th place in Ligue 1, the forceps takeover of the club by John Textor after more than three months of vagueness, and the defeat (1-2) against Monza (14th in Serie A) in the final match of preparation, it must be said that they are not spared.
“The break from the World Cup has done me phenomenal good as the situation is gloomy at all levels at OL, plague Nicolas.
This club talks a lot but systematically disappoints, with a constant headlong rush.
»
It is not the very bland posters against Brest (16th) and Clermont (10th) that risk transcending this supporter, in the wake of the adventure of the Blues in Qatar.
“I'm going to watch these matches, but OL won't be as much of a priority in my life as before.
I'm not afraid of suffering indigestion from football but of seeing myself being served a disgusting dish.
I'm in the same state as before a mâchon lyonnais: it's cool to prepare a festive moment but in reality, there are a lot of guts at the table and that was never my thing.
»
Tomorrow there's the return of Ligue 1, I'm divided because OL I miss the stadium but I didn't miss the suffering.
– MADE IN LYON (@OL695) December 27, 2022
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Philippe Wolff (42), president of the Strasbourg Racing Club supporters' federation, before PSG-Strasbourg this Wednesday (9 p.m.), then Strasbourg-Troyes on January 2 (3 p.m.)
The 19th place of Racing in the championship does not already push the general runaway.
But if the parking lot of Alsatian supporters should be full this Wednesday evening at the Parc des Princes, "even if we would have preferred more globalists on the PSG side", the LFP dealt the coup de grace with its programming for the 17th day Monday, January 2 at 3 p.m.
“A rapid recovery after the World Cup does not necessarily bother me, assures Philippe Wolff.
But there, this schedule that makes no sense for a match during the week, it's just unacceptable, and it's the straw that broke the camel's back.
We are told that this is exceptional, but it can quickly become a worrying trend.
»
This is why eight groups of RCS supporters are on the line for a collective boycott of La Meinau on Monday, which has nothing to do with the club's delicate sporting situation.
So often in fusion last season, the Strasbourg enclosure will therefore sound hollow in a meeting that looks like a small turning point in the race to maintain.
“We feel like the day after the party, in the middle of a hangover, sums up Philippe Wolff.
This reception of Troyes will be an almost dead match, without animation or atmosphere.
»
Football is the weekend.
pic.twitter.com/XRuVaYCIYQ
— Ultra Boys 90 (@UltraBoys90) December 20, 2022
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Thierry Tissot (49), president of Activ Nantes Supports, before Troyes-Nantes this Wednesday (3 p.m.) and Nantes-Auxerre on Sunday (3 p.m.)
Same story for Nantes supporters.
Nine groups, including the Loire Brigade, are boycotting these two resumption meetings, because of the "futage de gueule" schedule this Wednesday, then in solidarity with the Strasbourg fans for the following day of Ligue 1. "If we don't does not support each other between groups of supporters, we will no longer have any credibility with the authorities, ”judge Thierry Tissot, who does not even think of watching the two meetings of his favorite club on television.
“I don't feel crazy impatience because we've just come out of Christmas, and it's hard to get back into football.
It's a long-standing tradition in England, but not at all with us, ”recalls the Nantes resident.
Before the boycott decision, he had asked FC Nantes if the supporters would have the right to bring oysters to La Beaujoire on January 1 in the afternoon.
He quips: “We've only had two wins since the start of the season in the league, so it's really not a season of champagne football.
That's why it could have been funny to have a match against Auxerre with 3 grams of alcohol.
We will have foie gras on New Year's Eve, but there, with these two matches, those who go to the stadium should expect dog food.
It smells of total popular success, these debuts of Ligue 1 during the holidays, right?
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Soccer
League 1
Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG)
Olympique Lyonnais (OL)
RC Strasbourg
FC Nantes
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