Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons cannot resume as French government announces ‘big sporting affairs cannot occur before September’
France’s top flight, Ligue 1, will not be resumed for the 2019/20 season due to the coronavirus crisis.
The French government announced on Tuesday that sporting events “cannot occur before September.”
Paris Saint-Germain are currently top of the table but it’s not clear whether the season will be voided
French prime minister Edouard Philippe confirmed it during his statement: “The big sporting affairs cannot occur before September. The 2019-20 football season cannot return.”
It follows suit from the Dutch Eredivisie, who announced the scrapping of their season last week.
However, it’s not clear whether Ligue 1 will be declared null and void like the Dutch top flight with Ligue 1 chiefs to decide on the fate of clubs across the top tiers in a meeting next month.
Paris Saint-Germain currently hold a 12-point lead at the top, while Nimes, Amiens and Toulouse occupy the relegation spots.
Marseille and Rennes sit in the other two Champions League qualification spots, ahead of Lille and Reims in the Europa League places.
One point separates Rennes from Lille, while eight other clubs behind Reims are in the conversation to make the the Europa League spots.
Give COVID-19 the red card
The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again…
STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes:
- to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to
- to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with
- for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person
- to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary
For more info and tips, visit the NHS website.
The government has also issued further detail on what we can do during lockdown.
Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, have asked leagues to come up with their own plans to award qualification places on ‘sporting merit’, meaning a full table could be completed on points-per-game or even a round of play-offs.
Most clubs in the top flight had ten games to play, while there’s also the matter of the Coupe de France final, which was due to be played between PSG and Saint-Etienne.
Lorient, Lens and AC Ajaccio are in the top three spots of Ligue 2, although just four points separates first from fifth.
Things are different in the Premier League, with reports of a ‘Project Restart’ revealing hopes of resuming the season behind closed doors in June.
A few Premier League clubs have allowed players return to training this week, with Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham opening their bases on Monday. Tottenham allowed their players to come back on Tuesday.
COVID-19 has put the Premier League on hold since March
- How fans believe the Premier League season should be decided
No comments:
Post a Comment