The decision taken by the French government to abandon plans to resume play in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 has been met with strong approval by Marseille boss André Villas-Boas.
Head of French FA Noel Le Graet confirmed the details of the announcement made earlier in the day on Tuesday, stating that the campaigns in both of the nations' top two professional leagues are over and current standings are set to be final with regard to championship winners, European places and promotion/relegation.
Speaking shortly after the news broke, Portuguese coach Villas-Boas spoke to L’Equipe. “I think that the decision is totally logical as it is too early to start training again,” he said. “The conditions required to be met to return to training, and notably the procedures established by the doctors, were very difficult to put into place. I think that this is a good thing, it goes in the direction of a sense of respect that we need to have for the victims of this virus, in France and in the world.
Health the most important thing
“This stoppage brings about other problems, notably, one decisive one, which is financial: TV rights. The survival of clubs depends on it. But the government’s decision is logical, respectful of what we are going through at the moment.
“The most important thing is health, to protect everyone, and the government’s decisions go in that direction. Everyone needs to be aware of how tragic a time it is that we are living through.”
Villas-Boas has been an open advocate of concluding the league campaign late in the year and bringing the football calendar in line with an annual season schedule ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. “Perhaps it’s the most viable option,” the former Porto man said in March.
With France joining Belgium and the Netherlands in shelving the remainder of the season, it remains to be seen which countries will look to push on with plans to resume play as soon as possible.
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Should there be unity on the matter across the continent, or is each country entitled to make their own assessment and decision? Let us know your thoughts!
