Lyon hit out at French league over Toulouse scheduling

Lyon have criticised the the Ligue de Football Professionnel's (LFP) decision to retain the scheduling for their match against Toulouse as Friday, October 23 – three days after their Champions League trip to take on Zenit.

Toulouse will visit the Stade de Gerland for a televised 8.30pm Ligue 1 kick-off after the Appeal Committee of the LFP refused to move the match – a decision Lyon described as "surprising".

A statement from the club read: "This plan appears clearly prejudicial and shows a total disregard for sporting fairness for Olympique Lyonnais, since that game comes just three days after going to St. Petersburg in the Champions League, with more than a three-and-a-half-hour flight which means the team will return to Lyon late on Wednesday afternoon.

"It would have been logical and fair that Lyon has the opportunity to play on Sunday afternoon at 17.00 [another live television match slot]."

It is the second time this season that Lyon have raised questions over Ligue 1 scheduling, having faced Bordeaux on the evening of Satuday, September 26 before a Tuesday Champions League encounter against Valencia. Hubert Fournier's team lost both matches.