Boureima Amadou
Lyon’s clash with Auxerre waits on Champions League outcome against Sparta Prague
Olympique Lyonnais’ next Ligue 1 fixture against AJ Auxerre remains undecided as the club’s Champions League fate against Sparta Prague will dictate the exact date and time of the Rhone Valley derby. The French Football League has already released a provisional schedule for the first eight matches of the season, stretching from Thursday 3 September to Sunday 6 September, but the Lyon-Auxerre duel is conspicuously absent.
This scheduling gap reflects the uncertainty surrounding the club’s European campaign. Lyon’s third qualifying round tie against Sparta Prague, scheduled for Tuesday 11 August, will determine whether the Ligue 1 match against Auxerre is brought forward to Friday 4 September or pushed back to Saturday 5 September.
Two possible scenarios for the Lyon-Auxerre showdown
The Ligue 1 fixtures committee has outlined the two potential outcomes:
- Victory or progression: If Olympique Lyonnais qualifies for the Champions League play-offs, the league match against Auxerre will be played Friday 4 September at 19:00 CEST on Ligue 1+.
- Elimination: If Lyon is knocked out in the third qualifying round, the Auxerre fixture will be scheduled for Saturday 5 September at 20:45 CEST, also on Ligue 1+.
The club’s European destiny will be decided over two legs, with the first meeting against Sparta Prague taking place Wednesday 11 August in the Czech Republic. The return leg at the Parc OL is set for Tuesday 18 August, though the exact kick-off time remains unconfirmed.
Until Lyon’s European status is settled, the Ligue 1 calendar for early September will remain in flux, leaving fans to watch the fixtures board for the final confirmation.
Mariama Hamani
