Paris St Germain have been crowned champions of Ligue 1 after the French football season ended early due to the coronavirus crisis.
PSG had a 12-point lead over second-placed Marseille when the season was suspended as part of the French government’s measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Didier Quillot, chief executive of the French League, said:
“We have decided there would be two promotions and two relegations.
The two teams who will be relegated from Ligue 1 are Amiens and Toulouse while Lens and Lorient will be promoted, while will drop down to Ligue 2.
The decision is likely to have massive ramifications and could lead to a string of appeals from clubs to have missed out on promotion or to have been relegated.
“There might be appeals but our decisions are solid” Quillot said.
Quillot added that he hoped that cup competitions in France could be completed in August behind closed doors, subject to approval from UEFA, with Europa League places being allocated to the winners.
‘We were genuinely ready to finish the season like the Germans & Spanish,’ he said. But there were government decisions made which we respect.”
One new piece of news was that Quillot said that the French league had until 25 May to tell UEFA which clubs would be qualified for European competitions next season. That is the same day by which European leagues have to tell European football’s governing body whether they want to complete or cancel their seasons.
The Dutch top flight was abandoned on Friday with no promotion or relegation and no champions, while on Monday Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week.
