Lyon slam ‘sudden’ decision to end Ligue 1 season

PARIS: Lyon hit out at the French football league (LFP) on Sunday for “suddenly” ending the Ligue 1 campaign, saying the decision could see the division slip further behind Europe’s top leagues and calling for it to be reversed.

The LFP ended the season last month with 10 rounds of matches unplayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, crowning Paris Saint-Germain champions and relegating the bottom two, Amiens and Toulouse.

Lyon, who have reached this season’s Champions League last 16, were left seventh in the standings and outside the European qualification places.

“Today, it is not only about OL, but quite simply about the future of French football,” the seven-time champions said in a lengthy statement.

“There is still time, until May 25, to back off and avoid a huge rout for the French championship.”

Ligue 1’s revenue in 2018 was barely half the Bundesliga’s 3.2 billion euros, according to UEFA.

“The LFP suddenly decided to stop the French professional season definitively, without taking into account all of UEFA’s recommendations, or taking the time to observe what our dozens of neighbours were planning,” Lyon added.