Bordeaux & Nantes play out goalless draw as Ligue 1 finally returns

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Paris, August 22: Bordeaux and Nantes played out a goalless draw as Ligue 1 returned in uninspiring fashion.

The 2019-20 season was cancelled and settled on a points-per-game basis back in April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

And 166 days after Lille and Lyon played the final game of that campaign on March 8, Bordeaux hosted Nantes at the Matmut Atlantique to get the 2020-21 season under way.

They provided little for the small socially distanced crowd in the stadium to get excited about, with Bordeaux midfielder Mehdi Zerkane's dismissal following a VAR review of his foul on Nicolas Pallois the main flashpoint of a game low on quality.

However, new Bordeaux boss Jean-Louis Gasset, who took over following Paulo Sousa's exit, will have been pleased with the resolve his side showed after going down to 10 men.

Each team had just one shot on target and better will be expected in the six remaining fixtures of the opening round.

The games between Champions League finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Metz and semi-finalists Lyon and Montpellier were postponed until September, while positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests forced Marseille's clash with Saint-Etienne to be pushed back.