Despite the Covid-19, summer visitors have returned to the steep paths of the Portuguese capital. Among them, a number of francophones. The most remarkable tricolor presence is in closed ground, in the stadiums of the city where two football clubs will represent France in the semi-finals of the Champions League. For two Franco-German duels: Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) will face Leipzig on Tuesday August 18; Olympique Lyonnais (OL) will compete at Bayern Munich the next day. Their second semi-final each, after that of the Parisians against AC Milan, in 1995, and that of the Lyonnais, already against Bayern, in 2010.
Two French clubs so high in the same year is a first in the history of the most venerable club competition in Europe, dating back six decades. Double satisfaction, as PSG suffered in the quarterfinals against Atalanta Bergamo on August 12, finally eliminated (2-1) after two goals conceded in less than three minutes. And so much Manchester City, beaten in turn (3-1), three days later, seemed favorite against OL.
The revenge of the “peasants’ championship”
As the time wants, the accounts were also settled on the Internet. On the evening of the Rhone victory, Kylian Mbappé composed a simple message on the social network Twitter: the words “Farmers League” and a clownish emoticon. As if the Ile-de-France star did not care much for the nickname given by some English-speaking internet users to the French championship, Ligue 1, considered by them as “A peasants’ championship”.
Since the launch of the event in 1955, only the 1991 edition had taken place without English, Italian or Spanish clubs in the last four.
We cannot explain the origin of such a designation, except that it is supposed to denigrate a championship less rated than that of England, Italy, Germany or Spain – and despise by the same occasion a whole socio-professional category.
Since the launch of the event, in 1955, only one edition until then had taken place without English, Italian or Spanish clubs in the last four: that of 1991 had sparkled the Red Star of Belgrade in the final against Marseille, two years before the title of Provençaux, the only one from France to date.
In the streets of Lisbon, however, it is difficult to feel some adrenaline. There are indeed these television screens on restaurant terraces. This giant replica of the trophy, right in the Rossio, one of the busiest places. These billboards, too: three players from Leipzig advertising an energy drink, their sponsor. But as for the supporters, on the other hand, apart from very rare jerseys crossed here and there …
The advantage of physical freshness
If this final phase is unprecedented, it is also because it is without spectators. All matches are played behind closed doors to prevent the spread of Covid-19, whether at Luz stadium or José-Alvalade, the usual playing fields of Benfica and Sporting Portugal.
A few brave people made the trip all the same. Including Bergamo, one of the cities most affected by the virus. You should have heard them singing « Bergamo ! », two hours before the quarter-final. Between their mound and the stadium in the distance, a road, a row of police officers, and journalists to film the little life around the enclosure.
For the media, barely twenty permits per match, and the terrible feeling of breaking into a desolate place. On condition of completing an electronic form attesting to his good health, and to allow himself to be taken the temperature, thermometer in the forehead.
Unlike Atlético Madrid, which had formalized the contamination of two players, neither PSG nor OL have so far had bad news to announce. The Parisian club privatized the twenty-six floors of its five-star hotel, at the entrance of which were nevertheless supporters to welcome the players after their accession to the semi-finals, smoke as an option.
Parisians and Lyonnais have the advantage of physical freshness for them. A notable exception in Europe, the clubs in the French championship are the only ones to have had to end their season prematurely, where the main neighboring nations have picked up speed despite the pandemic. “We can’t say that they were all happy not to play, but it is clear that they prepared very well, underlined, Sunday, Noël Le Graët, president of the French Football Federation, in a daily interview The Parisian. PSG and OL have taken advantage of the rest and have put in place an exemplary second cycle of physical preparation. “
In total, four months without competition between mid-March and the end of July. Until the Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue finals: unconvincing victories for PSG against Saint-Etienne, then… against Lyon, whose president, Jean-Michel Aulas, had gone to the Council of State, in June, to challenge the early termination of the championship by the Professional Football League. “We have the impression that the players have seized on this injustice which has nailed us, ten games from the end, a 7e place which is not European ”, said the boss of OL on August 15.
“This format gives more chances to the team which is underdog”
Both clubs benefit from another unexpected factor. That of the new format of the Champions League this summer, chosen to complete the tournament as quickly as possible, after the long interruption due to the new coronavirus. On neutral ground, quarter and semi-finals are played each time in a single match, and not in a round-trip form. “This one-match format is interesting, because it gives more chances to the underdog team, believes Corentin Tolisso, the French midfielder of Bayern and ex-Lyon. It also gives a lot of emotions. ”
Effective way of preventing the risk of comeback such as that endured by PSG in the round of 16 against Barcelona, in 2017: 4-0 victory in the first leg, 6-1 defeat in the return. Also, for Lyon, to approach the semi-final with perhaps less anxiety. Especially against Bayern, maupitante winner (8-2) of Barça, August 14, and now big favorite.
Spanish PSG midfielder Ander Herrera, however, is hoping for a return to a classic format next season: “For the respect of the supporters, of the history of football, we must play in our stadium [dans une configuration aller-retour]. »
Be reassured: the president of the European Union of Football Associations (UEFA), Slovenian Aleksander Ceferin, also recommends a return to the round-trip format. And therefore to more matches to be monetized from the television channels holding rights, as well as to a formula leaving room for less sporting hazard for the wealthiest clubs.
In France, at its scale, RMC Sport already claimed a record audience for the match of August 12: an average of 1.17 million viewers – paying – for the success in extremis of PSG.
