While PSG is preparing for the Champions League final, Ligue 1 is already playing again

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Jimmy Briand and Girondins Bordeaux open the new season in Ligue 1

Fans of the top French clubs Olympique Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain are currently experiencing eventful days. Lyon made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League somewhat surprisingly and only failed there at Bayern, Paris moved into the final with a win against Leipzig and played there on Sunday (9 p.m.; Stream: Dazn, TV: Sky, ZDF; Live ticker: SPIEGEL.de) against Munich for the title.

However, the rest of French football fans have been waiting since the beginning of March to be able to cheer for their favorite club's games again. Because after the provisional Corona break after the 28th matchday, the French association had decided to cancel the rest of the season. Only AS Saint-Étienne and Paris were active again in a French competition and played against each other in the cup final at the end of July, which the capital club narrowly won.

Now the French league is starting the new season as the first of the European top leagues - even before the reigning champions PSG have contested their big season finale in the Champions League. England and Spain start the new season on September 12th, Germany and Italy the following weekend.

Appointment problems and new corona cases

On Friday at 7 p.m. Girondins Bordeaux and FC Nantes will meet for the first game of the season. However, the first day of the game is far from over by the first weekend of the season. Three games are only scheduled for mid-September. There are various reasons for this: Paris Saint-Germain will have a break after the final in the premier class on Sunday and instead of playing against Metz on the weekend will only have to play against RC Lens on the second match day. The same goes for Lyon. The game of the Champions League semi-finalist against Montpellier will also take place in September. Olympique will play their first game of the new season on matchday two and then host Dijon.

The reason for the third postponement, however, is due to the pandemic. The season opener was supposed to be held today, Friday, between runners-up Marseille and AS Saint-Étienne. But after Olympique had reported three new corona cases, the game was also postponed to September and should be made up on the 17th.

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