Ligue de Football Professionnel has postponed Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 fixture against RC Lens, originally scheduled for April 11, to May 13.
The decision grants PSG additional recovery time between their UEFA Champions League quarter-final legs against Liverpool FC on April 8 and April 14.
Title Race Implications
PSG currently lead the Ligue 1 table by one point with a game in hand, while second-placed Lens are chasing their first league title since 1998.
The rescheduled match will take place between the final two weekends of the French season, maintaining the competitiveness of the title race despite the late change.
LFP Explains Decision
The LFP stated that the postponement aims to support French clubs competing in European tournaments, helping Ligue 1 retain four spots in the Champions League.
The league also rescheduled RC Strasbourg Alsace’s match against Stade Brestois 29 to May 13, allowing Strasbourg more recovery time ahead of their UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final against 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Lens Oppose the Move
Lens had strongly opposed the postponement. In an official statement, the club criticised what it described as a growing trend of treating the French championship as an “adjustment variable” to suit the European ambitions of a few elite clubs.
They argued the change would result in a 15-day gap without competitive matches, followed by a congested run of three games in one week, undermining sporting fairness.
Controversy in French Football
The decision has sparked debate across French football. Lens emphasised that the fixture date, confirmed on March 6, should have been respected, pointing to previous structural changes in Ligue 1, including reducing the number of clubs to 18 and scrapping the Coupe de la Ligue.
PSG will now benefit from six clear days between their Champions League fixtures, while Lens must adjust their schedule during a crucial phase of the title race.
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