The governing body of French professional football, the LFP, has formally denied Olympique Lyonnais’ (OL) plea to reschedule their inaugural Ligue 1 match. This request was contingent upon OL advancing to the UEFA Champions League playoff round. To reach the prestigious group stage of Europe’s premier club competition, the Lyon squad must first navigate the third qualifying round, with matches slated for August 4th or 5th (first leg) and August 11th or 12th (second leg). Should they succeed, the crucial playoff stage, the final hurdle before the Champions League proper, would see its first leg played on August 18th or 19th, followed by the return fixture on August 25th or 26th.
The core issue revolves around the scheduling of the initial Ligue 1 matchday, set for August 22nd. This date falls directly between the two legs of the potential Champions League playoffs. It was precisely to circumvent this demanding situation that OL had sought a postponement of their away game against Toulouse, believing that a less congested domestic calendar would significantly enhance their prospects of securing a coveted spot in the Champions League.
Lyon’s management had also underscored that Olympique Lyonnais’ participation in the Champions League would yield substantial benefits for the entirety of French football.
However, during a meeting held this Monday, the LFP rejected OL’s appeal. The league body’s primary rationale was that it deemed it undesirable to commence the Ligue 1 season with an already postponed fixture, particularly as the entire championship is set to be broadcast on its newly launched platform.
Barring any unforeseen alterations to the fixture list, Olympique Lyonnais will, if they reach the Champions League playoffs, face an arduous sequence within a single week: a European match, an away Ligue 1 encounter in Toulouse, and then the decisive return leg of their European playoff tie.
