Paris Saint-Germain were on Thursday named Ligue 1 champions after France’s Professional Football League (LFP) declared the COVID-19 pandemic-hit season over, leaving some other clubs disappointed and pondering legal action.
PSG led the table by 12 points over Olympique de Marseille when the season was suspended in mid-March because of the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 24,000 people in France.
The announcement by the league came after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday said that “professional sports leagues, notably football, cannot restart” because of the pandemic.
Photo: AFP
“There is no ambiguity about this declaration. We needed to make a final decision about this season. We acknowledge that the 2019-2020 season is over,” LFP president Nathalie Boy de la Tour told a conference call with reporters.
France became the biggest European league to end its season, just as its neighbors in England, Germany, Italy and Spain consider ways of resuming matches.
Ruling out any possibility of copying the Netherlands, who voided their season without a champion, relegation or promotion, the LFP arranged a final table on the basis of average points per game.
Ten rounds of matches remained when the campaign was halted, although PSG and RC Strasbourg Alsace both had a game in hand.
As a result, PSG are champions with an average of 2.52 points per game, with Andre Villas-Boas’ Marseille second with an average of 2 points and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
“We wish to dedicate this title to all health workers and other everyday heroes whose commitment and self-sacrifice throughout these long weeks deserve our admiration,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said.
It is PSG’s ninth French title, the seventh in eight seasons for the Qatar-owned club being awarded in unique circumstances and with many of their foreign players — including Neymar — having returned to their home countries with France under strict lockdown.
“We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French government to stop the season. Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone’s priority,” said al-Khelaifi, whose club still hope to be able to continue their Champions League campaign after reaching the quarter-finals before action stopped.
Stade Rennais finished third and also qualify for the Champions League, while fourth-placed Lille OSC are to play in the UEFA Europa League.
Toulouse and Amiens SC, the bottom two, are condemned to relegation, with Lorient and RC Lens coming up from Ligue 2.
Meanwhile, the usual promotion and relegation playoffs have been ditched.
However, Toulouse have kept open the possibility that they might take legal action.
The identity of the other European representatives depends on whether the finals of the two domestic cups are played.
Large gatherings remain banned in France until September.
However, if the French government and UEFA accept, both finals could be staged in early August with European places still up for grabs.
The LFP said that it hopes to begin next season by Aug. 23 “at the latest.”
PSG were scheduled to play Lyon in the Coupe de la Ligue final and AS Saint-Etienne in the Coupe de France final. If the games are played, Lyon and Saint-Etienne could qualify for the Europa League by winning.
Otherwise, OGC Nice and Stade de Reims would qualify by virtue of finishing fifth and sixth in the league.
Lyon — seventh in the table when the season was stopped — would otherwise miss out on European qualification for the first time in more than two decades.
Ironically, they were still involved in this season’s Champions League when it was suspended, leading Juventus 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had previously stated his hope that the season could be played to a conclusion via playoffs in August and his club have now hinted at legal action.
In a statement on Thursday, Lyon said that they “reserve the possibility of trying to appeal against this decision, and claiming damages and interest,” adding that “the losses for the club will come to several million euros.”
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS