By JEROME PUGMIRE, AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain was declared champion of the French soccer league on Thursday after the season ended early because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The announcement from the league followed the French government's decision on Tuesday to call off the soccer and rugby seasons in the country and end plans to resume.
“We have (acknowledged) the end of the 2019-20 season and we have awarded the league title to PSG,” league president Nathalie Boy de la Tour said.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi dedicated the title to the “healthcare staff and to all the everyday heroes on the front line whose commitment and self-sacrifice over many weeks have earned our deepest admiration.”
The top two divisions in French soccer had 10 rounds of matches left to play. PSG led second-place Marseille by 12 points having played one game less.
We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French government to end the championship," Al-Khelaifi said. "Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone’s priority.”
Marseille qualified directly for the Champions League while third-place Rennes will enter the qualifying rounds and fourth-place Lille goes into the Europa League.
At the bottom of the standings, last-place Toulouse and 19th-place Amiens were relegated while second-division leader Lorient and second-place Lens were promoted. The relegation-promotion playoff between the team in 18th place in the first division and the team in third in the second division was scrapped.
“We gave our leagues every chance to start again in mid-June,” Boy de la Tour said in a conference call with reporters. “It brings an end to the uncertainty.”
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had reportedly argued for a playoff system to complete the league season. His team finished in seventh place and missed out on the Champions League.
PSG has won nine league titles, moving even with rival Marseille and one behind French record-holder Saint-Étienne. Since 2013, PSG has won the league every year but one, with the exception being Monaco’s title in 2017. The other titles for PSG were in 1986 and ’94.
PSG striker Kylian Mbappé finished as the top scorer for the second straight season, although this time he is tied with Monaco forward Wissam Ben Yedder with 18 goals. PSG winger Ángel Di María had the most assists with 14, ahead of Monaco forward Islam Slimani with eight.
While PSG has reached the Champions League quarterfinals, Lyon was unable to play its second leg against Juventus in Turin after winning 1-0 at home in the last 16.
It remains unclear whether the Champions League will be completed and where games involving French teams would be played if it does resume.
LFP director Didier Quillot says the plan now is to start next season by Aug. 22 at the latest, with the French Cup and League Cup finals from this season carrying over and being played earlier in August “if the government allows us.”
PSG was to face Saint-Étienne in the French Cup final and Lyon in the League Cup final. If those matches go ahead, Lyon and Saint-Etienne can qualify for the Europa League if they win. If PSG wins both, the teams in fifth and sixth place in the standings then qualify.
Next season's domestic campaigns are followed by the European Championship — postponed this year and rescheduled for 2021 — which could potentially cause a scheduling headache.
Should the government decide that the French league must start later than Aug. 22, then measures might be needed to dispense with the traditional mid-season winter break.
“This hasn't been brought to the table yet,” Quillot said, but added that “if the calendar becomes difficult in autumn then we would have to adapt.”