Ligue 1 opener postponed after three Marseille players or members of staff test positive for coronavirus

The French league postponed the fixture because ‘the virus is circulating within the club’

Three players or members of staff have tested positive for Covid-19 at Marseille (AFP via Getty Images)

The first game of the French football season was postponed Tuesday because of an outbreak of Covid-19 cases at Marseille.

The French league said in a statement that Marseille's home game against Saint-Etienne on Friday was moved to 16-17 September.

The decision came shortly after Marseille confirmed three positive cases among its first-team players and staff.

The league said France's national Covid commission advised to postpone the game because "the virus is circulating within the club."

French club Nimes also reported two suspected cases Tuesday and said its staff was isolating ahead of fresh testing. It is scheduled to host Brest on Sunday.

The setback for French soccer comes as Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon prepare to play in the Champions League semifinals in Lisbon — the first time France has had two teams at that stage of the competition.

French football was widely criticised in the spring after it was the highest-profile European league to end the season early during the pandemic rather than try to restart. The standings were declared final with PSG retaining its title and Marseille second. Marseille will play in the next Champions League in October.

In Germany, England, Italy and Spain, leagues restarted after shutting down for several months and completed their programmes in June and July. Those leagues start the 2020-21 season in September.

Marseille did not say if any players in the team coached by Andre Villas-Boas were affected.

Nimes had also reported one suspected case of Covid-19 last week and cancelled a warm-up game against Dijon.

AP