Olympique Lyonnais commenced their pre-season training on June 29, with a clear objective: to be fully prepared for the third preliminary round of the UEFA Champions League. These critical European matches are slated for August 4 or 5 for the first leg, and August 11 for the return fixture. Should Paulo Fonseca’s squad successfully navigate this stage, they would then proceed to the playoff round, which is scheduled to take place during the subsequent two weeks.
In light of these demanding European commitments, and explicitly stating that their request would only be activated upon qualification for the playoff round, Lyon’s management formally petitioned the LFP. Their appeal, sent via official correspondence, sought the postponement of their opening Ligue 1 match. This inaugural league encounter would see them travel to Toulouse on Saturday, August 22, a date that inconveniently falls between the two legs of a potential Champions League playoff. To bolster their case, OL invoked the broader interests of French football, drawing parallels to similar requests granted to Paris Saint-Germain in previous seasons.
However, the LFP’s response arrived swiftly on Monday evening, confirming a negative outcome. Following a video conference meeting, the administrative council of the Ligue de Football Professionnel voted to deny Olympique Lyonnais’ request. A primary justification cited for this refusal was the perceived impracticality of initiating a fragmented first matchday for the Championship, particularly given that Ligue 1+ is now set to broadcast every single fixture, requiring a consistent schedule.
