Olympique Lyonnais boss Jean-Michel Aulas lashes out at French League for ending Ligue 1 season, calls decision ‘stupid’

Paris: Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas again lashed out at the French League for ending the Ligue 1 football season early amid the COVID-19, calling the decision “stupid”.

File image of Olympique Lyonnais. Reuters

Aulas spoke after LaLiga on Saturday got the Spanish government’s green light to resume play. Matches will likely begin on 12 June, according to League president Javier Tebas.

“In the past two months, the Spanish officials have been observing and working with UEFA,” Aulas told L’Equipe on Sunday, referring to European football’s governing body.

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“What is paradoxical is that Javier Tebas, in particular, attended the same meetings than (French League director-general) Didier Quillot, notably that of 23 April.”

“In fact, what was said at that meeting with UEFA is ‘patience’. When we see that our officials attended this meeting and drew different conclusions, one can feel that we are really too stupid.”

The French League ended the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons last month with 10 games remaining, meaning that seventh-placed Lyon were denied a European spot through the league standings.

Lyon’s appeal before an administrative tribunal was rejected on Friday, but they are now expected to lodge another appeal before the State Council, France’s highest court, alongside relegated Amiens and Toulouse.

Asked if he would have had the same reaction had Lyon been in a position to qualify for the Champions League when Ligue 1 was suspended in March, Aulas said, “I swear I would have, I swear on my children’s lives.”