Paris St-Germain’s Ligue 1 trip to Lens has been postponed after French football chiefs agreed to clear the club’s schedule ahead of a Champions League showdown with Liverpool.
League leaders PSG had been due to visit RC Lens on 11 April, a game scheduled between the two legs of their quarter-final against Liverpool. The game will now be played on 13 May after approval from the Ligue de Football Professionnel.
The first leg of the Champions League game takes place in Paris three days before the Lens fixture was originally scheduled, with the return at Anfield set for days later. The change, officials said, will allow the French champions to “prepare in the best conditions” for the tie.
A second Ligue 1 fixture has also been postponed. RC Strasbourg will now travel to Stade Brestois 29 on 13 May instead of 12 April as they juggle a Conference League quarter-final with 1. FSV Mainz 05.
“At the request of Paris St-Germain and RC Strasbourg to prepare in the best conditions for their respective quarter-finals, the board of directors of the LFP has unanimously decided, apart from the clubs concerned, to postpone the matches,” the LFP said.
The governing body added the move fits its “strategic direction” to “enable France to retain its fifth place in the UEFA coefficient”. Strong European results determine how many continental spots leagues receive, with France currently holding four Champions League places.
Lens was far from pleased. The title challengers, sitting one point behind PSG, said they were strongly against the postponement and warned the domestic league risked becoming “an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some”.
The LFP has also asked Lens to bring forward their home match against FC Nantes by a day on 9 May if PSG reach the Champions League semi-finals.
