Paris Saint-Germain have been declared Ligue 1 champions after the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) confirmed final standings will be decided on a points-per-game basis.
French prime minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday said the 2019-20 football season could not restart as he banned any sporting events taking place before September, leaving the LFP to decide the “sporting and economic consequences” for the top two tiers.
Following Thursday’s meeting, the LFP opted for the final league standings to be determined by points won per match, leaving PSG – who were 12 clear at the top before the campaign was halted – as champions.
“We have decided to work hard to find solutions. We still have difficulties ahead of us. We are in an environment where there is a lot of sporting tension,” Nathalie Boy de la Tour, LFP president, said at a news conference.
“We had worked on recovery scenarios for mid-June. We worked on the economy and treasury for the clubs: sponsorship and ticketing. We had worked behind the scenes. I don’t like to talk to say nothing – I’m coming to you with concrete things.
“We have marked the end of the 2019-2020 season, and we have awarded the title of champions to PSG in Ligue 1 and Lorient in Ligue 2.”
LFP executive director general Didier Quillot confirmed the final standings were allocated on a points-per-game ratio, before adding only the bottom two teams will be relegated to Ligue 2, with no play-off taking place to determine if a third team from the second tier also goes up.
It means Toulouse and Amiens will be relegated and Lens will be promoted along with Lorient.
“The rankings were allocated according to a performance index and a criterion of the points-per-matches-played ratio at the end of the 28th matchday. It is the same rule adopted by the FFF [French Football Federation],” he said.
“There will be two promotions and two relegations between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. There will be no play-offs.”
The LFP published the final classification shortly after the announcement, confirming Marseille and Rennes will join PSG in the Champions League places, while Reims and Nice are expected to follow Lille into the Europa League if the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France cannot go ahead.
The victors of both competitions will take up Europa League spots as normal if, as Quillot desires, they are allowed to play the two finals in August.
“If the government allows us to play behind closed doors from August, we will think about the possibility of playing the finals of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue in early August,” he said. “We will need the green light from UEFA.
“If the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France take place in early August, the places for the Europa League will be allocated to their winners, if the winner is not PSG. The rule does not change.”
PSG will face Lyon and Saint-Etienne in the respective Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France finales.
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