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Confirmed: PSG are French champions after early end to season

Paris Saint Germain have been officially named Ligue 1 champions for 2019-20 after the French sea...



Confirmed: PSG are French cham...
Soccer

Confirmed: PSG are French champions after early end to season

Paris Saint Germain have been officially named Ligue 1 champions for 2019-20 after the French season was ended early by COVID-19.

The French league's (LFP) board of directors voted on Thursday afternoon to settle the league standings based on a points-per-game basis.

The method is favoured by UEFA in instances where leagues cannot be completed.

All team sport in France is banned until September 1 following an order from prime minister Edouard Philippe earlier this week.

Unlike in the Netherlands, the LFP have also voted to maintain promotion and relegation.

As such, Lorient will be promoted as Ligue 2 champions with second placed Lens joining them in the top flight next season.

Amiens and Toulouse will be relegated.

"We have marked the end of the 2019-2020 season and we have awarded the title of champion to PSG in Ligue 1 and to Lorient in Ligue 2", LFP presidentNathalie Boy de la Tour told a press conference.

It's still hoped that both the League Cup and the French Cup finals can be played, and perhaps behind closed doors.

LFP executive director general Didier Quillot said, "If the government allows us to play behind closed doors in August, we will consider playing the finals of the League Cup and French Cup in early August.

If those finals do go ahead, it would have a huge bearing on who qualifies for next season's Europa League.

Without them going ahead, Nice and Reims would enter the Europa League at the 3rd qualifying round phase.

But if they do, and if they're won by Lyon or Saint Etienne, it could force a rejig.

Despite the September 1 block, the LFP are hoping to start the 2020-21 season in August, and by August 22-23 at the latest.

They say final dates on a restart will be determined by discussions with their broadcast partners in tandem with government directives.

The Ligue 1 rankings based on points-per-games played are as follows:

1.PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 2.52

2.OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE 2.00

3.STADIUM RENNAIS FC 1.79

4.LOSC 1.75

5.OGC NICE COTE D'AZUR 1.46

6.REIMS STAGE 1.46

7.OLYMPIC LYONNAIS 1.43

8.MONTPELLIER HERAULT SC 1.43

9.AS MONACO 1.43

10.RC STRASBOURG ALSACE 1.41

11.ANGERS SCO 1.39

12.FC GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX 1.32

13.FC NANTES 1.32

14.STEST BRESTOIS 1.21

15.FOOTBALL CLUB DE METZ 1.21

16.DIJON FOOTBALL COTE-D'OR 1.07

17.AS SAINT-ETIENNE 1.07

18 OLYMPIC NIMES 0.96

19.AMIENS SC 0.82

20.TOULOUSE FC 0.46

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Coronavirus Covid-19 Edouard Philippe France Ligue 1 PSG Paris Saint Germain