Ihe was the best. Most listened to. Most respected. But that was before. For twenty-five years, Jean-Michel Aulas reigned over French football. Its Olympique Lyonnais was a model of sporting success and its president was praised for his management. Ace of com, the boss of OL knew how to speak, anticipate and defuse. Aulas magic no longer operates. The tragic events of the Coupe de France match between Paris FC and the Lyonnais – violence between supporters, invasion of the field, interruption of the match – showed that the seven-time French champion club was now in the news on the news page.
Before the incidents on Friday, Jean-Michel Aulas had been sanctioned with ten games of suspension, including five closed, after the interruption of Lyon-Marseille – Dimitri Payet had been hit by a bottle of water. “I am unfortunately part of the comex [comité exécutif de la Fédération, NDLR] and it will not stop there, ”the president of Lyon would have launched to the referee, according to the latter’s report. His soft condemnation of the excesses of his supporters as well as the absence of heavy sanctions from the League led to a new outbreak of violence at the Charléty stadium.
Mister “Yes, but …”
A few minutes after the premature end of Paris FC-OL, Jean-Michel Aulas split a new brilliant analysis, full of innuendo: “I do not yet know exactly what happened. I believe that the responsibilities are shared. It is not all to blame for our supporters. We will have to analyze what happened. OL do not have to take full responsibility for the incidents. There was a chain of events. We will seek the truth, and besides the club has decided to file a complaint. If our supporters are involved, they will be severely sanctioned. I am told that PSG supporters were there, that the firecrackers came from Parisian supporters. I’m waiting to find out what really happened. ” No comment.
READ ALSOMonday’s tackle – Ligue 1: alas, Aulas …
The president of Olympique Lyonnais had already shown in 2020 the extent of his talent as a provocateur by first asking for the outright cancellation of the Ligue 1 season, because of the Covid – OL were in limbo of the standings and not qualified for the Champions League. He also distinguished himself in the defense of the Médiapro model then welcomed the arrival of Amazon, the consequences of which are to have removed French football from media radars – while losing money.
Why all his communication abuse? Hide the sporting mistakes of his club, which has not qualified for the Champions League since the 2018-2019 season. The choice of Juninho as sporting director turned into a virtual fiasco: a first trainer, Sylvinho, fired after four months; a low-end level of play and young shoots set aside for the famous Brazilian industry; a last stand with Peter Bosz which does not appear conclusive; a secret departure from the month of January. OL, 13e Ligue 1, does not move forward and the (verbal) malice of its president no longer takes effect. Or rather if: a counterproductive effect. We think of a pastiche of The big mop : “There’s Aulas, alas. – That’s where the bone is. “
