Breaking: The French Have Spoken... And It’s Decisive!

Paris St-Germain have been crowned champions of Ligue 1, as predicted by this column following yesterday’s announcement that the season would not resume due to the coronavirus pandemic.

PSG were 12 points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand, when French football was suspended indefinitely on 13 March.

The club said they wished to dedicate the title... “to healthcare staff and all the everyday heroes on the front line”.

PSG chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi added that French essential workers’ “commitment and self-sacrifice over many weeks have earned our deepest admiration”.

He continued: “We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French Government to end the championship. Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone’s priority.

“In these difficult times, I hope that this trophy will bring a little happiness and hope to all our supporters, and I am grateful to them for their unwavering support which helps drive Paris St-Germain forward.”

PSG have been awarded the title on a points-per-game basis, while Lorient have been crowned Ligue 2 champions on the same principle.

They were just one point above Lens when the season was suspended and both teams will be promoted. This means that Zakaria Diallo, who left Montreal Impact last season to join Lens will be playing Ligue 1 football should season 2020/21 ever get underway.

Amiens and Toulouse have been relegated from Ligue 1 under the same principle.

“There might be appeals but our decisions are solid,” said Didier Quillot, the chief executive of the French League (LFP).

The rest of the European qualifying slots are notes clear cut and LFP has until 25 May to submit clubs to UEFA for inclusion into next season’s European competitions.

The 2019/20 Eredivisie in Holland was abandoned, Friday with no promotion or relegation and no champions announced, while on Monday Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week.

Much focus will now be on Germany whose Bundesliga had announced optimistic plans to resume early May. The English too have been making optimistic noises about resuming. But frankly, under current circumstances, it’s difficult to see football being played again in Europe before the latter months of 2020 at the very earliest.