Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin
modified to
9:20 p.m., January 12, 2023
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard refused to postpone its match of the 19th day of Ligue 2 against Caen scheduled for Saturday, the day of the funeral of the wife of the coach of the Norman club, a decision which aroused indignant reactions like the recited the head of the Sports department of Europe 1.
And for good reason, the Stade Malherbe de Caen had requested that the match against the Sochaliens be brought forward by one day, to Friday January 13 instead of Saturday January 14, due to the death of Armelle Moulin on Wednesday, the wife of Stade Malherbe coach Stéphane Moulin.
Absent since the end of December
Stéphane Moulin has not been seen at the Caen club since the winter resumption at the end of December. The coach had an exemption to stay at the bedside of his sick wife. Stéphane Moulin was since then replaced by Patrice Sauvaget, his deputy. The Caennais have decided not to go to Sochaux on Saturday for the moment.
For its part, the FC Sochaux club justified itself in a press release. The club explained that it could not find a solution and that it was too difficult to reorganize if this match had to be moved: “Faced with the need to very quickly have to agree on a new program and in view of what this leads in terms of organization (and in particular the difficulty in mobilizing the appropriate control and security personnel), (Sochaux) unfortunately had to resolve to have the match played “Saturday at 3:00 p.m., could we read in this communicated.
The LFP and the broadcaster yet agree to a postponement
However, the Professional Football League (LFP) and the broadcaster Bein Sport had given their approval for a potential postponement. According to France Bleu Normandie, three postponement dates had been proposed by the LFP but “all were refused by Sochaux”.
The Sochaux club also adds that its general manager, Samuel Laurent, “discussed this subject with Olivier Pickeu”, the President of Caen, to propose to him “that a minute of silence in memory” of Mrs. Moulin be observed at the Bonal stadium before kick-off.
On social networks, many Internet users have expressed their indignation. “Football is first and foremost a game. Clubs are families. Unfortunately, as long as some forget it, we will continue to see pathetic behavior”, reacted in particular in a tweet Pierre-Antoine Capton, co-owner of the Norman club. Before the 19th day of Ligue 2, Sochaux is 3rd in the standings and therefore a candidate for the rise in Ligue 1. SM Caen occupies eighth place.
According to the latest information, FC Sochaux would agree to postpone the date of the match but no schedule has yet been communicated.