Strikes, strife and sexism; politics throws French football a loop on three fronts

In France political unrest has forced the police to request the postponement of Paris St-Germain’s home game against Montpellier in the French capital on Saturday. Protests against a rise in fuel tax have been widespread over the last three weekends.

The protesters have become known as the “gilets jaunes” because of their yellow jackets.

According to a PSG statement, a new date for the match “will be set in due course”. Luckily their next two games are away, at Strasbourg in the league on Wednesday, and they then travel to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on 11 December.

Lyon are also feeling political upheaval.

Their match at Toulouse on Saturday has also been postponed and this has caused their owner Jean-Michel Aulas to suggest the entire calendar be called off.

“It’s a last-minute decision,” he told French media.

“It marks the current turmoil in a society that prioritises things that we would not like to see. I do not know if there were any risks.

“Maybe the whole day will be cancelled because it poses a problem of fairness. The calendar is very busy for the European teams. One must be factual and bow to the force of events. We will adapt.”

In addition, their Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk has been moved to Ukraine’s capital Kiev after martial law was introduced in parts of the country. The game had been scheduled to take place in Kharkiv, where martial law is in effect, on Dec. 12.

A previous game against Arsenal and FC Vorskla Poltava was also moved.. Ukraine’s capital Kiev after martial law was introduced in parts of the country. The game had been scheduled to take place in Kharkiv, where martial law is in effect on December 12.

Kiev’s Olimpiyskiy stadium will now host games on consecutive days as Dynamo Kiev plays Jablonec in the Europa League on December 13. Shakhtar need a win and Lyon just a draw to progress to the next round.

Also in Lyon news, Lyon and Norway striker Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or award.

The 23-year-old scored in this year’s Champions League final as French side Lyon beat Wolfsburg 4-1 in Kiev.

She beat Wolfsburg and Denmark striker Pernille Harder and Germany midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan into second and third. England and Lyon defender Lucy Bronze finished sixth.

Her good news was partly overshadowed by a political row when awards host DJ Michael Solveig asked her if she would twerk. Hegerberg said no and made a very dignified exit, but the French DJ was rightly pilloried in the media and was forced to apologise.