Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 4y

PSG to be crowned champions as Ligue 1 cancelled, Marseille and Rennes in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain have been declared Ligue 1 champions after the Professional Football League (LFP) in France confirmed that the 2019-20 Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons have been ended.

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The LFP have utilised a performance index based on the number of points taken from matches played, confirming PSG as Ligue 1 champions for a third consecutive year.

LFP president Nathalie Boy de la Tour said: "We have brought an end to the 2019-20 season. PSG win the Ligue 1 title, while Lorient the Ligue 2."

This is in contrast to the Dutch Eredivisie, which also took the league table as final but did not award the championship to leaders Ajax and cancelled promotion and relegation.

Marseille have also qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, while Rennes will go into the qualification rounds. Lille and Nice will go directly into the Europa League group stage, while Reims will have to go through qualification.

However, this could change if the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France finals go ahead as Lyon or Saint-Etienne beating PSG would send them into the Europa League at the expense of one of the Ligue 1 positions.

Seventh-placed Lyon, who were hoping to finish the season with playoffs, said they would possibly appeal against the LFP's decision to end the season.

"Olympique Lyonnais reserves the right to appeal against this decision and claim for damages," OL said in a statement.

In terms of relegation, Toulouse were adrift at the bottom and go down after a 17-year run in the top-flight. They will be joined by Amiens, with Nimes surviving by virtue of the cancelled playoff system.

Lorient and Lens will both be returning to the top tier after their promotions were confirmed, but Le Mans will have to wait to see if they join Orleans in dropping out of the second tier as the relegation to Championnat National and promotion from must be decided by a general assembly.

"It's the victory of a whole club and I feel happy and proud," Lorient president Loic Fery told local newspaper Ouest France. "After the 2002 French Cup, it's Lorient's second title in over 90 years."

LFP director general Didier Quillot said: "We were genuinely ready to finish the season like the Germans and the Spanish but we respect the government decisions that have been made."

"Our aim is to start the 2020-21 season in August -- the 22nd or 23rd latest. The date will be decided after consultation with the broadcasters [Mediapro]. If matches behind closed doors are authorised, there is the possibility that. domestic cup finals will take place in August."

"If the domestic cup finals take place, the winners [not PSG] will qualify for Europe. Otherwise, it will be fifth and sixth place from the league."

"The board validated the end of the championship and the standings. Yes, there will be appeals, but the decisions made are binding."

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG Chairman and CEO, said: "We would like to dedicate this 2019-2020 Ligue 1 title to healthcare staff and to all the everyday heroes on the front line whose commitment and self-sacrifice over many weeks have earned our deepest admiration.

"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."

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