Olympique Lyonnais is set to commence its Ligue 1 campaign against Toulouse on August 22. The club had formally requested the LFP to reschedule this match, which is slated just days after a potential UEFA Champions League playoff. However, the LFP has rejected this proposed adjustment.
Disputes between the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) and Olympique Lyonnais have emerged even before the season’s inaugural whistle. Lyon’s management, facing Toulouse FC on August 22 for the opening round of Ligue 1, had approached French football’s governing body to seek a postponement of this encounter. The primary justification for their appeal? The fixture could potentially fall between the two legs of a vital Champions League playoff, should OL advance from the preceding round.
This constituted a legitimate concern for the Lyon board, which communicated its formal request to the LFP via official correspondence.
To bolster their case, OL invoked the ‘PSG precedent,’ underscoring the broader interests of French football. Paris Saint-Germain had previously benefited from several fixture postponements last season, enabling them to adequately prepare for crucial European commitments without domestic scheduling conflicts.
Potential playoff clash between championship rounds for OL
Consequently, and in the spirit of fairness, the seven-time French champions anticipated a favorable response from the League.
Nevertheless, against all expectations, the LFP’s Board of Directors dismissed this possibility. The governing body stated its unwillingness to disrupt the Ligue 1 television broadcast schedule, especially so early in the season, right from the first matchday.
This represents an initial calendar setback for Paulo Fonseca’s squad. The Gones will now face a demanding schedule at the end of August as they strive for a coveted qualification into the UEFA Champions League group stage.