Bordeaux 0-0 Nantes: First Ligue 1 game for 167 days ends goalless

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Bordeaux's French midfielder Mehdi Zerkane was sent off for a foul on Nicolas Pallois

The French Ligue 1 season got under way - 167 days after the 2019-20 campaign was curtailed - as Nantes were held by 10-man Bordeaux.

The game was brought forward after the original season-opener between Marseille and Saint-Etienne was postponed following four positive coronavirus tests at Marseille.

The 2019-20 campaign was ended in April because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Champions League finalists Paris St-Germain were awarded the title.

The French league has informed teams that more than three positive cases at a club would likely lead to a postponement.

Friday's fixture at Bordeaux - who were among the sides to play on Ligue 1's final contested round of fixtures on Sunday, 8 March - was played in an empty stadium.

The hosts had Mehdi Zerkane sent-off after 20 minutes but held out for a goalless draw in an otherwise uneventful match.

There was only one shot from inside the box in the entire game, the lowest total in a Ligue 1 match since data was first recorded in 2006-07.

PSG, who face Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on Sunday, are set to begin their campaign in the second round of fixtures on 29 August.