The coronation of Paris SG against Lyon in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue on Friday almost condemned OL to a 2020-21 season without the European Cup. Reims, on the contrary, gets his ticket for the Europa League, enough to satisfy the president of the club Jean-Pierre Caillo, who shares his joy at the microphone of Europe 1. 

The Lyonnais knew it well, this final of the Coupe de la Ligue against PSG (which you can read the summary here) was one of their only chances to erase this season average nationally by qualifying for the second qualifying round. in the Europa League, a place reserved for the winner of the competition. But the club of Jean-Michel Aulas must now resolve to the most complicated scenario: only a coronation in the Champions League, at the end of August, would allow him to have his place in C1 next season. 

"This group deserved to go to the European Cup"

PSG having already qualified by its title of champion of France in the Champions League, its title in the Coupe de la Ligue unlocks an additional ticket for the 6th in the championship, namely Reims, which finished at this rank according to the final classification established after this season truncated by the coronavirus. "It's wonderful, it was suspense until the end, but you have to keep in mind that the Stade de Reims had beaten the top four in the championship so this group deserved to go to the European Cup", rejoices at the microphone of Europe 1 the president of the club Jean-Pierre Caillot. 

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A first match scheduled behind closed doors on September 17

The Stade de Reims will therefore see Europe again for the first time in 57 years and be able to reconnect with its glorious past: two Champions Clubs' Cup finals lost to Real Madrid (1956 and 1959) and a victory in the Latin Cup. , bringing together the champions of the countries of southern Europe (1953). Before seeing the group stage, however, they will have to go through the second qualifying round scheduled for September 17, then the third one a week later, before a play-off scheduled for October 1, all behind closed doors and in a single match.

History is a perpetual restart ... Tonight, the SDR returns to the European scene and will compete in the preliminary rounds of @ EuropaLeaguehttps: //t.co/BG9Zhtitjzpic.twitter.com/JSidz4Fz8h

- Stade de Reims (@StadeDeReims) July 31, 2020

But despite the delicate course they are preparing to face, it is time to celebrate for the Rémois. "For us, this is something fantastic. When I took over the presidency of this club twenty years ago, I met people from Reims who told me that they would never see Ligue 1 again!", says Jean-Pierre Caillot. "We have local drinks, we are going to use them because there will be a certain consumption of champagne in the coming days," he smiles.

Update on French clubs qualified and still able to qualify for the European Cups:

  • Champions League

Qualified for the group stage: Paris SG, Marseille
Qualified for the third qualifying round: Rennes (may still be exempted)
May qualify for the group stage: Lyon (in case of final victory in the Champions League)

  • Europa League

Qualified for the group stage: Lille, Nice
Qualified for the second qualifying round: Reims