Olympique Lyonnais has requested a postponement of their first Ligue 1 match against Toulouse, scheduled for August 22nd. The LFP has denied this request, as announced by L'Equipe.

What's happening ?

The Gones must play a third preliminary round of the Champions League, with a first leg on August 4th or 5th and the return leg on August 11th. If Lyon were to advance, their Champions League playoffs would require them to play two more mid-week games.

Why is this a problem for Olympique Lyonnais ?

The LFP does not want the Ligue 1 schedule to be disrupted from the first day, as the French championship will be entirely broadcast on Ligue 1+ from next season. Olympique Lyonnais, currently 4th in Ligue 1 with 60 points, will have to schedule a trip to Toulouse for their Ligue 1 debut between their two European matches.

What comes next ?

The Lyonnais will have to play their Ligue 1 match against Toulouse on August 22nd, while they are 16 points behind leaders Paris Saint Germain, and have scored 53 goals this season, for a goal difference of +13. Olympique Lyonnais will therefore have to manage their schedule effectively to succeed in their season, with Paul Fonseca at the helm of the team.