On the menu of the double draw on Thursday, a first will establish the ten matches of the “8th round” between teams from Ligue 2, including Amiens SC and FC Chambly for Picardy. The second will determine the posters for the “32nd finals” of the “professional” route between the ten qualifiers for Ligue 2 and the 20 clubs for Ligue 1. (Photo FRED DOUCHET)
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It was probably a good idea. Or rather the least bad, given the circumstances. But the more time passes, the more the top seems to be destined for the flop. Explanations: to save the Coupe de France and its thirty million TV rights, the French Football Federation had imagined advancing its flagship event in two ways. That of the pros and that of the amateurs.
For professionals in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, it’s simple, a double draw is made on Thursday at Eurosport from 5 p.m. The first concerns the twenty L2 clubs including Amiens and Chambly who will oppose each other via ten confrontations stamped “8th round”, set for Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 January.
The second concerns the twenty L1 clubs which will be grouped together with the ten qualified from L2 for a total of fifteen matches called, them, “32nd finals”. This will result in fifteen qualified for the round of 16. This is where the business gets tough. Because these fifteen qualified are supposed to find in the short term seventeen teams from the amateur route.
Except that in view of the current situation, difficult to see when the skimming of the amateur teams still in the running could end? In many cases, such as in Picardy, the 6th round has not been played. It will then be necessary to play the 7th round then the 8th and finally the 32nd finals to join the pros who will be waiting for them in the hall of the 16th finals!
In short, four matches to play and three simple questions: When? Or ? How? ‘Or’ What ? Knowing that the application of the health protocol requires resources, suitable infrastructures and… operational players, in other words, footballers who will have been able, at a minimum, to prepare physically to play matches in the Coupe de France which are generally energy intensive.
Alphonse (Amiens SC): “This Coupe de France has no interest”
Therefore, many believe that the 2021 Cup could end up being disputed only between pros. Or a form of resurgence of the decried Coupe de la Ligue which had just been deleted from the calendar!
Nothing very folichon, like the feeling expressed by the side of Amiens SC, Mickaël Alphonse: ”
The Coupe de France has such a mythical side that it cannot be suppressed, especially since there are amateur clubs to respect, because they benefit from endowments. However, for some, it is vital. But for the pros, it still adds matches and it doesn’t make too much sense. So for me, this Coupe de France has no interest.
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FC Chambly coach Bruno Luzi (see below) is on the same wavelength …
Bruno Luzi (FC Chambly): The Coupe de France? “It does not interest me”
Amiens SC and FC Chambly will meet at the end of the afternoon, Thursday, their opponent of the “8th round” who will necessarily be one of their usual rivals in Ligue 2 with a match on the field of the club drawn first .
An Amiens – Chambly or vice versa is even possible. What seems to be the least of the worries of the Camblysian coach Bruno Luzi, in no way motivated by this watered-down version of the Coupe de France.
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I will not follow this draw because for me it is not the Coupe de France as I understand it, that is to say the festival of football, he asserts as well. In any case, there is no scheduled restart date for the amateurs, so I don’t see when and how they will be able to play, knowing that we have no visibility on the rest of the season. And setting match dates is like setting a date for the reopening of restaurants: it’s without certainty. We must end up admitting that we are, like every Frenchman, overwhelmed by events. In this context, playing our championship is already good. After that we will no doubt move towards a “Coupe de la Ligue” format with ultimately the Ligue 1 clubs for the TV posters. I can understand that this is important for the rights. But frankly, me, all that does not interest me.
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