"2019-20, it's over, we are planning for the 2020-21 season," promises Didier Quillot, Director General of the Professional Football League (LFP). A season that will not wait until September to begin, as we might have thought after the speech of Edouard Philippe, Tuesday, before the National Assembly. It is in August that French football should start again, after the announcement this Thursday of the final stop of 2019-20. "Our goal is to start the 2020-21 season in August, and no later than August 22 and 23," insists Mr. Quillot, during a telephone press conference. The final date for the recovery will be decided in consultation with the broadcasters, Mediapro, Canal + and BeIN Sports. It is with them, and taking into account the state of health and government decisions, that we will decide the date on which the season will resume. This should also be the subject of additional work with the FFF to establish the final timetables in connection with the "Comex". ” Remember that the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season was originally scheduled to start on August 7. For Ligue 2, the starting date was July 25.
The cup finals in early August?
We could however see some Ligue 1 stars frolicking on the meadow before this date. Long before. The final of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue remain to be played. And, like the FFF with the Coupe de France, the LFP intends to play the final of the Coupe de la Ligue. "If the government allows us to replay, including behind closed doors, from August, we will examine the possibility of playing the League Cup and French Cup finals in early August. And that obviously in connection with the FFF and UEFA. ” The allocation of European tickets will depend on these finals. If successful against PSG, protagonist of the two posters, ASSE (CdF) and Lyon (CdL) can dream of a future in the Europa League. Otherwise, Reims (5th in Ligue 1) and Nice (6th) will recover the precious sesame for the second continental competition.
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Regarding the holding of the final of the League Cup, Didier Quillot evokes a simple "orientation" for the moment. For the three shots of the next Ligue 1 season, however, it is a "clear objective". "The only thing we don't know today is if we can play in early August. What is certain is that we will not restart the championship beyond August 22 and 23. Except in the event of a government decision, a new epidemic… If there is no force majeure, our objective remains to start on the 22nd and 23rd. ”
"The decisions are solid"
Didier QuillotAnd for good reason, the Euro must start on June 12, 2021. "It therefore takes ten good months to make a calendar in which there are not too many matches during the week and fallback dates in the event of matches postponed," continues. the Director General of the LFP. For this, there is a cut-off date set for August 22-23. If we can start again and house the two finals, we will do it. ” The idea of the LFP is to complete this famous calendar for the 2020-21 season before the next General Assembly, on May 20, or even in the days that follow. "We will hold a General Assembly on May 20 in order to decide on all the decisions, draw up the budget for the League and prepare the dossier which we will hand over to UEFA on May 25," added Quillot, who was also not very worried about possible recourse from certain clubs. However, we imagine that Lyon, for the time being deprived of the European Cup, or the two relegated clubs in Ligue 2 that are Amiens and Toulouse could have their say… "The decisions are solid", he promises, sure of its done. But OL has already announced that it will study the possibilities of an appeal, or even ask for “damages”…
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