PSG and Olympique De Marseille Boycott TV Channel Canal Plus

Seems Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille won't be speaking to French television channel Canal Plus this season.

According to Reuters' Julien Pretot, the two Ligue 1 clubs will refuse to acknowledge the channel after Canal Plus footage played a role in suspensions for PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marseille's Dimitri Payet.

The two clubs released a joint statement that read in part:

"

In order to avoid any other misunderstanding and to preserve the interest and the regularity of the championship with seven matches left, officials from Olympique de Marseille/Paris St Germain have decided not to make any public statements to the journalists and in front of the cameras of the Canal Plus group until May 30.

This measure will apply whatever the places and the circumstances (interviews, news conferences etc) to their players and their staff who are under big pressure because of the stakes of the season ending.

"

The incident in question for PSG involved Ibrahimovic picking up a four-game suspension after he criticized the officiating following a 3-2 loss to Bordeaux for PSG on March 15.

"I have never seen that in 15 years in my career, such a referee in this s--t country," the Swedish striker is believed to have said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN FC). "[You] don't even deserve PSG to be in this country."

Payet earned a two-match ban for a similar outburst. 

Ibra wasn't afraid to let his feelings about his suspension be known, per French football journalist Jonathan Johnson:

As Get French Football highlighted, Paris Saint-Germain is already instituting the Canal Plus moratorium:

It's not hyperbole to say that Ibrahimovic's and Payet's punishments could have an impact on the title race. After 31 matches, PSG hold a slim one-point lead on Lyon, while Marseille are just five points back of the leaders.

With just seven matches remaining for each club, the absences of players of Ibrahimovic's and Payet's talents will certainly be felt.