Just as France prepares to have a record number of clubs in this season’s Champions League, Ligue 1 faces the looming threat of decline, triggered by a financial crisis casting a shadow over the start of the campaign.Lille’s 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague in their first-leg playoff tie has put them in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League proper ahead of next Wednesday’s return leg in Prague.Should Lille advance, they will join Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, and Brest in the expanded 36-team Champions League — a notable achievement for French football.Despite losing coach Paulo Fonseca to AC Milan and defender Leny Yoro to Manchester United, Lille appears to have maintained their competitive edge. However, Ligue 1 as a whole is in a more precarious position after securing a new domestic broadcast deal worth 500 million euros ($555 million) annually – signed in haste just before the season began.PSG thought Osimhen wasn’t worth the price – they’ll sing with joy If they land his countrymanThis new deal, struck with streaming service DAZN and Qatari-owned beIN Sports, marks a 20 percent decrease from the previous contract. According to L’Equipe, it is the lowest amount paid for French domestic broadcast rights in nearly two decades.”Ligue 1 clubs have never received so little from TV,” lamented Lens president Joseph Oughourlian, noting that his club would only receive about nine million euros for the season.While an increase in international broadcast rights to around 160 million euros annually offers some relief, the overall financial squeeze is already evident. Most Ligue 1 clubs have had limited resources for new signings during the transfer window.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Even PSG, which has reportedly spent 175 million euros on new players, may be done in the transfer market unless the right player becomes available at a reasonable price.”If the price is too high, we are not interested,” coach Luis Enrique stated on Thursday.Thanks to their wealthy Qatari owners, PSG is somewhat insulated from the shrinking domestic TV deal, but the gap between Ligue 1 and Europe’s biggest leagues – England, Germany, Spain, and Italy – continues to widen.Moreover, reports suggest many fans are hesitant to pay the 30 euros per month for a DAZN subscription, raising concerns that Ligue 1 could face a repeat of 2020 when Spanish company Mediapro withdrew from a record broadcast deal just months after it took effect.Despite the financial crisis, French league president Vincent Labrune is seeking re-election next month.On the pitch, the new season has kicked off with PSG and Marseille, now under the guidance of new coach Roberto De Zerbi, both securing dominant victories in the opening weekend.🔴🔵 La composition probable pour la réception de Montpellier demain. (L’EQUIPE) pic.twitter.com/eoNqwKgJoG— MEGA PSG 🇵🇸 (@MegaPSG_) August 22, 2024 PSG will host Montpellier on Friday in their first home match since Kylian Mbappe’s departure to Real Madrid.Meanwhile, Marseille’s decision to sign English forward Mason Greenwood sparked controversy due to past allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault, which led to his departure from Manchester United. Although charges were eventually dropped, the decision drew criticism, including from Marseille’s mayor. Greenwood made an immediate impact, scoring twice in his debut as Marseille defeated Brest 5-1. He is set to make his first home appearance against Reims on Sunday.LIGUE 1 – MATCHDAY 2Friday21:45: (1.28) PSG (6.00) Montpellier (9.50)Saturday18:00: (2.55) Olympique Lyon (3.60) Monaco (2.80)20:00: (1.40) Lille (4.50) Angers (8.50)22:00: (2.15) Saint-Etienne (3.45) Le Havre (3.70)Sunday16:00: (1.78) Lens (3.50) Brest (4.80)18:00: (3.20) Strasbourg (3.40) Rennes (2.25)18:00: (1.90) Nice (3.60) Toulouse (4.50)18:00: (2.35) Nantes (3.30) Auxerre (3.10)21:45: (1.57) Olympique Marseille (4.00) Reims (6.00)***odds are subject to change***
