​EXCLUSIVE | Bacary Sagna: ‘Loving football is one thing, but understanding it is something else. It is about business.’Get French Football News had the opportunity to sit down for a chat with former Arsenal, Manchester City and France defender Bacary Sagna to discuss the business of football. When you look at almost every French club having to sell players, do you think there’s any way that France can ever get back on at least the same level as other leagues, if not the Premier League, or is it too late?The beauty of France is its academies. We’re coming up with amazing players like Ayyoub Bouaddi, like Rayan Cherki, so yes, we have so much creativity in building players, so that each time another player will come and be the attraction of the league. This is the only way; otherwise, how can you compete?Do you think that it’s the authorities? They’re the ones who are guilty, if that’s the right word, because the young quality is there. There is a “product” to sell, but it’s just not being sold very well? Or they can’t sell it without the big stars?Today, if they have a meeting with Amazon, who is bankable apart from PSG’s players? No one. Amazon would be interested in having Lionel Messi on the channel, Neymar on the channel, because they saw the impact these guys are having. Why is Apple interested in MLS? Because of Messi. It’s a business. Why were all the American sponsors jumping into football during the World Cup when no one likes soccer there? Because you know the attraction it brings by having those players. But if suddenly you remove France, you remove Argentina, you remove Lamine Yamal, you remove Portugal, the interest will change. It’s a fact. So today, yes, of course the French league will struggle. But now, unless someone who really likes football has another vision or is a billionaire who just wants to own it, it’s going to be very difficult to have a sponsor that comes and invests because they’re going to lose money. No one will buy the rights. Can you imagine? They had to create their own channel!  So for me, they had a chance, a big chance to capitalise on having those players in the league, bringing more sponsors, making business, and they missed out on doing it.When Neymar was in the league, and then Mbappé came, everyone started watching around the world. You had people in Colombia watching the French league. Why? Because Mbappé is playing. Of course, we’re going to be focusing on Paris, but to watch, they need to buy the subscription and invest in the whole league indirectly.So I was upset because from the minute I heard the likes of Neymar being whistled, I was like, they don’t understand that soon this player will leave and then the football will go down. Fans will remain fans, of course. Fans are emotional. But at some point, you need to think, and this is the problem. Loving football is one thing, but understanding it is something else. You have to be smart