Uefa says Aug 3 not hard deadline amid Ligue 1 row

PARIS • An Aug 3 deadline to complete the suspended football season was only a recommendation and "not official", according to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin amid an ongoing row over the decision to call a premature end to the campaign in France.

In a letter sent to the Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas on May 14 - revealed by French daily Le Parisien and of which AFP obtained a copy - he explained that European football's governing body had discussed setting an Aug 3 deadline for countries to finish their domestic leagues.

The date was cited as the latest for the top 15 European leagues, including France, to finish seasons which ground to a halt in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The date for lower-ranked competitions was July 20.

"However, we always mentioned during those meetings that these dates were recommended and tentative, not official," Ceferin wrote.

Referring to a Uefa meeting on April 23 setting out a way forward for suspended leagues, the head of European football's governing body emphasised that the aim was to play on wherever possible.

"Uefa's recommendation was... clearly to encourage the national associations and leagues to do their utmost to finish the ongoing domestic championships, either in the original format or an adapted format, if necessary," he wrote.

However, the French league (LFP) called an end to its season on April 30 with 10 rounds of matches left. That was after the French government said the season "cannot restart" and that large gatherings would remain banned until September.

Paris Saint-Germain were declared champions but Lyon were one of several clubs left deeply unhappy with the decision which denied them a shot at European qualification for next season.

Aulas has been outspoken in his rejection of what he saw as a hasty decision, insisting that a way could have been found to finish the season in August.

He has claimed that the LFP based its decision around the deadline put forward by Uefa. Aug 3 was indeed mentioned in the minutes of the LFP's meeting as "an obstacle to the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season restarting when it will be possible to organise matches again".

Meanwhile, Amiens have launched legal action against the move, which condemned them to relegation to Ligue 2.

The LFP has nevertheless insisted that its decision was legally "solid" and "definitive".

France is the biggest European league so far to declare the season over. In contrast, the German Bundesliga on Monday completed its first round of games since becoming the first major league to restart at the weekend.

Kai Havertz scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Werder Bremen 4-1 away, moving them within a point of the top four.

Attacking midfielder Havertz, 20, reportedly a transfer target for some of Europe's biggest clubs including Liverpool and Barcelona, was the star of the show at an empty Weserstadion.

He has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season, having netted 20 times last term. It was Leverkusen's 10th win in 11 games, but their first since winning 3-1 at Rangers in the Europa League last-16 first leg on March 12.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE