Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas is not giving up hope of the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season being concluded with play-offs in July or August despite prime minister Edouard Philippe effectively ending the campaign on Tuesday.

In an address to the National Assembly, Philippe said no "big sporting events" would be allowed to take place before September, ruling the "2019-20 professional football season won't restart".

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is to meet on Thursday with the purpose of deciding on how the season should end, with uncertainty over the title, European places and relegation and promotion spots in the top two tiers.

Aulas is still hopeful a loophole or compromise can be found to allow a sporting conclusion to the season, suggesting play-offs at either end of the table with UEFA previously urging leagues to finish the 2019-20 season by early August.

"I read carefully what UEFA said, they wanted us to go all the way to the end of the competitions, even if we might have to play on a reduced format and in August," Aulas,  whose team were seventh in Ligue 1 before the suspension, is quoted as saying to L'Equipe.

"So, I think there is an alternative way which would consist of supplementing this end of the championship with a series of play-offs for the top and for the bottom which would take place in August, perhaps even in July behind closed doors.

"Do not rush. I tell myself that, perhaps, in the deconfinement rules that have been proposed, there is still room to finish the championship."

France has confirmed almost 166,000 cases of COVID-19 and 23,660 deaths, with only the United States, Spain and Italy recording more fatalities.