Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas demands restart to cancelled Ligue 1 season with return to training on June 2 after hearing Premier League is set to return next month

  • Aulas wants the French government to overturn cancellation of Ligue 1 season
  • Decision to curtail 2019-20 campaign was made in April amid Covid-19 crisis
  • But with France set to ease lockdown measures, Aulas wants action to restart
  • Lyon president took to Twitter after hearing Premier League will return in June
  • He wants club back in training on June 2 ahead of Ligue 1 restart in July
  • Lyon finished outside the European places on points-per-game in final table 
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has reacted with fury to news that the English Premier League is set to restart next month after the Ligue 1 season was cancelled.

The Premier League has agreed to restart the season on Wednesday June 17 following the Covid-19 shutdown with Manchester City vs Arsenal and Aston Villa vs Sheffield United lined up as the first fixtures back.

But the French authorities took the decision to cancel Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 - their top two divisions - back in April with 10 rounds of fixtures still to play.

Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas has demanded the Ligue 1 season cancellation be reversed

Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas has demanded the decision to cancel the Ligue 1 season is reversed and French clubs return to training on June 2

In a tweet following news that the Premier League will resume on June 17, Aulas called upon the French government to reverse their decision to cancel Ligue 1

In a tweet following news that the Premier League will resume on June 17, Aulas called upon the French government to reverse their decision to cancel Ligue 1 

Paris Saint-Germain were declared champions as the final table was decided on a points-per-game formula, with Amiens and Toulouse relegated.


Lyon ended up in seventh position, outside the European places, and Aulas is taking legal action against the decision to curtail the season prematurely.

It came after he wrote to French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu to argue cancelling the season would have catastrophic financial consequences.

Having heard the Premier League news, Aulas took to Twitter to make his feelings known and tagged his club Lyon, the Prime Minister and the Sports Minister.

He wrote: 'The Premier League will therefore restart on June 7 [actually June 17]. @OL @Matigon @RoxaMaracineanu Madame Minister allow us to resume training from June 2 and then play behind closed doors from July, 15 days after the English and all the others.'

Lyon could miss out on European football next season as a result of Ligue 1 being cancelled

Lyon missed out on European football next season as a result of Ligue 1 being cancelled

Lyon's final league position was declared as seventh based on a points-per-game basis

Lyon's final league position was declared as seventh based on a points-per-game basis

Lyon have joined with Amiens and Toulouse in their legal bid to overturn the early finish to the season.

A Paris administrative court deferred the case to the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France, to issue a ruling on the matter.

Aulas argues that other leading leagues across Europe, such as the Premier League and Germany's Bundesliga, have already restarted or are planning to.

And with lockdown restrictions in France set to be eased on June 2, Aulas wants the government and the football authorities to 'rectify their error.'

He has claimed that French clubs could lose '700 to 900million euros' as a result of the curtailment.

He wrote: 'June 2 will allow the organisation of the relaxation of lockdown, to bring into line the decision relating to collective worship, horse racing or even the next municipal elections.

'Many developments and hopes are expected on this date for France to finally regain a positive dynamic.

Paris Saint-Germain were declared as champions after the season was ended prematurely

Paris Saint-Germain were declared as champions after the season was ended prematurely

Lyon secured a 1-0 win over Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie

Lyon secured a 1-0 win over Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie

'Could we imagine that June 2 is also a great opportunity to rectify the error concerning French football and allow, with a health protocol used everywhere, to give the starting point for a gradual resumption of training and, why not, a resumption of the 2019-20 league season in the months of July or August?'

Lyon finished seventh in the final standings, calculated on a points-per-game system and so missed out on qualification for the Champions League and Europe League.

PSG and Marseille, the top two, qualified for next season's Champions League group stage, while third-placed Rennes will start in the Champions League third qualifying round.

Lille, who finished fourth, have been handed qualification for the Europa League group stage.

However, Lyon can still reach next season's Champions League by winning this season's competition. They lead Juventus 1-0 following the first leg of their last-16 tie.