Coronavirus: PSG confirmed as Ligue 1 champions
The LFP met on Thursday and decided to conclude the 2019-20 season on a points per game basis. PSG claim the title while Toulouse and Amiens go down.
Following a meeting of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) on Thursday morning, Paris Saint-Germain were expected to be crowned Ligue 1 champions and a few hours later this was made official. The LFP met to discuss how to being the season to a conclusion on paper after the announcement that the 2019-20 campaign would not be played out on the pitch and came to the decision to base the classification of the table on points per game. PSG lead the table by 12 points from second-placed Marseille and now claim their ninth Ligue 1 title based on the LFP's criteria.
The LFP elected to base the final standings on points per game as it believed that was the fairest way to conclude the season. Marseille therefore qualify directly for the 2020-21 Champions League while third-placed Rennes go into the third qualifying round. Lille will go into the Europa League group stage while the other two European places will go to Reims and Nice, who are fifth and sixth respectively.
However, Saint-Étienne and Lyon may yet get their chance to usurp one of Reims and Nice as winners of the Coupe de France or the Coupe de la Ligue respectively as there remains the slim possibility of a date for both finals being arranged.
Toulouse and Amiens to be relegated to Ligue 2
Under the points per game system, Toulouse and Amiens are relegated to Ligue 2 with Lens and Lorient gaining promotion to Ligue 1. Nîmes, who are 18th, will remain in the top flight as there are currently no plans to play the relegation playoff fixture, which would have pitted them against Ajaccio, who are third in Ligue 2.