Oughourlian and Al-Khelaïfi, Lens and PSG chiefs, remain at loggerheads | OneFootball

Joseph Oughourlian would relish Lens being crowned Ligue 1 champions this season, especially if it meant finishing above PSG and Nasser al-Khelaïfi. According to L'Équipe, he has long challenged Al-Khelaïfi’s influence within the LFP, citing conflicts of interest, and their relationship has been strained.

Their stand-off sharpened after the failed 2024-2029 Ligue 1 rights tender. In summer 2024 clubs had to choose between an LFP-run Ligue 1 channel with Discovery’s Max and a DAZN-beIN bundle.

In line with OL, Oughourlian backed a single platform carrying all matches, bundled with broader entertainment, at about 20 euros a month. He rejected a split offer between DAZN and beIN Sports that would have cost around 50 euros.

Events later leaned his way as DAZN withdrew. A year on, the LFP launched its own platform with eight of nine fixtures.

Tempers flared on 14 July 2024 during a Ligue 1 clubs’ meeting, when Al-Khelaïfi told Oughourlian he understood nothing about media despite being a shrewd businessman. Oughourlian replied that he should understand conflicts of interest and asked him to respect other presidents.

At the LFP board on 31 July 2024, minutes recorded Oughourlian pressing for beIN Sports’ financial guarantees to match those demanded of DAZN, with Al-Khelaïfi president of PSG and of beIN Media Group.

Since then, the Lens owner has regularly argued that Al-Khelaïfi, close to LFP president Vincent Labrune, is the real power in the French professional game, while casting himself as the leading opponent.

With the board set to rule on Thursday on PSG’s request to postpone Lens v PSG, and Oughourlian no longer a director, he sounded pessimistic in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, saying he hoped for lively exchanges but had few illusions.

The pair have not spoken since PSG filed the request. Lens were notified by phone on Saturday morning by the Paris club’s general management, not the presidency.

Source: L'Équipe