French football ponders next steps after being told season cannot restart

French football clubs are bracing mselves for a major financial hit after Tuesday's government anunced that current season would t be allowed to restart, with uncertainty leaving even all-powerful Paris Saint-Germain facing potentially serious consequences. Clubs h been optimistic that season -- suspended in mid-March with 10 games remaining -- would be allowed to resume in mid-June behind closed doors. That would have guaranteed revenue from television, but Prime Minister Edouard Philippe delivered a hammer blow in an dress to National Assembly as he detailed plans to ease strict lockdown introduced to curb spre of coronavirus.

" 2019-2020 professional sports leagues, tably football, cant restart," Philippe said, while ding that garings of over 5,000 people would remain outlawed until September.

French league will w meet on Thursday "to analyse sporting and ecomic consequences" of government anuncement. season could in ory still be played to a conclusion, somehow. Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Lyon, insists as much. "I wonder if we can't come up with a format which would allow us to finish season in July or maybe August," Aulas said. However, it is worth remembering that Lyon were seventh when season was suspended and so stand to miss out on European qualification for first time in 24 years if more games are played. In contrast, Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere said government h me "a wise decision, very responsible".

Will PSG get title?

Assuming more matches take place, league must decide how to end season. It is understood that France will t follow le of Nerlands, who decided to void ir season with champion, relegation or promotion. Final placings could be attributed based on standings as y are, or using an aver of points per game. PSG were 12 points clear with a game in hand when campaign stopped, with Marseille and Rennes in Champions League qualifying berths. France h reported 23,660 deaths from Covid-19 by Tuesday, one of highest totals worldwide. However, determination to get football up and running again was an ecomic one.

With UEFA er to start next season in good time, Ligue 1 appears in an impossible situation. Sports daily L'Equipe calculates that top two divisions could w miss out on 243 million euros ($264 million) from brocasters Canal Plus and beIN Sports, plus 35 million euros for international rights. That is on top of lost gate receipts and sponsorship.

What future for Neymar, Mbappe?

PSG, whose w bill last year pushed 350 million euros, are reportedly in discussions with ir squ over pay cuts. y reportedly stand to lose up to 215 million euros in crisis. It raises question of wher it will be sustainable for PSG to retain both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar going forward. latter is spending lockdown back home in Brazil. All French clubs will w be anxiously waiting to see what will happen to a record TV rights deal with Chinese-owned group Mediapro due to kick in next season. four-year deal is worth 1.15 billion euros annually.

group do t even have a channel in France as yet and it seems to be worst possible timing for m to set up in a new market. In meantime, Europe's or leing leagues will be closely following developments. Germany remains hopeful of restarting Bundesliga in mid-May, and in England re is government support for idea of getting Premier League up and running again "as soon as possible".

Spanish football is hoping to return possibly in early June, with La Liga president Javier Tebas saying "football is an important ecomic driver that we need to reactivate like many ors."  Neverless, Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spafora has warned that Italy may w have to follow le of France and Nerlands. " decisions being taken by or countries, like France... could push Italy to follow this line too, which would n become a European line," he said. 

Im credits: Twitter