Lyon stated that they wanted to appeal against the decision to finish the Ligue 1 season early.
Lyon got seventh place, which implied that they had for the first time since 1997 avoided qualification for European football. and possibly sued the governing body of the League (LFP) for millions of euros.
This decision also ensured a third straight Ligue 1 crown going to Paris Saint-Germain while Marseille and Rennes get the remaining two places in the Champions League.
Following French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe’s declaration that no football will be played before September, the LFP announced on Thursday that the season was finished and that the championship and European places will be given points per game.
In a statement on Thursday evening, Lyon claimed that it would be better if the league would have been resolved on the field rather than in the boardroom, even though it required an alternate model:
“This government policy does not appear to place such a final stop on Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 in a prohibitive manner today; the Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu had previously suggested the prospect of playing in August if it was permitted by the development of the health situation.”
They claim that the LFP has acted too quickly in cancelling the season. Their statement writes: “Ompique Lyonnais retains the right to appeal against this ruling and to claim damages, in fact as a result of the lack of opportunity and taking into consideration the jurisprudence of many professional sports already ongoing, as the losses to the team equate to several tens of millions of euros.”
Accorrding to them, this process does not meet the UEFA request that “sporting merit” determine European credential. A fairer method would have been a series of play-offs to determine matters-though they admit PSG are worthy champions:
“Olympique Lyonnais profoundly congratulates the winners, PSG for Ligue 1 and Lorient for Ligue 2 who have been announced today and wishes that OL Feminin [Lyon women’s team] will be able to accomplish the same consecration soon.”
