Ligue 1 has decided to postpone the anticipated title matchup between Lens and Paris Saint-Germain, originally scheduled for Thursday, to give PSG more time to prepare for their upcoming Champions League quarterfinal match against Liverpool next month.
The match, which was to take place on April 11, now will occur on May 13, a date that falls between the final two rounds of the French league. The title race is tight, with Lens trailing PSG by just one point while having played an extra game.
The league also postponed the game involving Strasbourg against Brest on April 12, as it coincided with Strasbourg’s Conference League quarterfinal against Bundesliga team Mainz.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) stated that its board unanimously approved the requests from PSG and Strasbourg, emphasizing that the decision, which did not necessitate the consent of Lens or Brest, was made in the broader interests of French football.
“These actions align with the board’s strategic vision to help France maintain its fifth position in the UEFA coefficient ranking, which secures four spots in the UEFA Champions League,” noted the LFP.
Lens expressed strong opposition to the rescheduling, asserting in a statement that Ligue 1 is being diminished “to cater to the European aspirations of certain entities.”
This isn’t the first time the league has intervened; two years ago, it adjusted Marseille’s schedule to support their Europa League quarterfinal against Benfica.
Lens president Joseph Oughourlian expressed on LinkedIn prior to the decision that he had “few illusions” about the result.
Lens director Benjamin Parrot questioned the legitimacy of PSG’s request and whether it would have arisen under different circumstances, such as if PSG had been well ahead in the title race.
“Would we even be having this conversation if PSG had a 15-point lead? They might simply rotate their squad,” Parrot remarked to L’Equipe.
“The LFP often compares itself to leagues in England, Italy, Spain, and Germany, but none of them operates in this manner.”
In a challenging stretch from April 17-24, Lens is set to play three matches in eight days, including a Ligue 1 game against Toulouse and an encounter in the French Cup semifinals, followed by a match at Brest on April 24, which is slated for a Friday — a move that offers less recovery time.
Parrot stated that Lens won’t request any changes to the league’s schedule.
“We’ll face the matches as they come,” he said. “However, we can’t rely on the same depth in our squad. It’s unfair.”
PSG advisor Luis Campos stressed the importance of their team advancing in the Champions League.
“The postponement of Lens-PSG is beneficial not just for PSG, but for French football as a whole,” Campos mentioned on RMC radio.
“Our goal is to position ourselves as best we can to represent France in Europe, which is essential.”
Campos underscored the significance of France’s standing in UEFA’s coefficient rankings, which is determined by performance in the Champions League, Europa League, and the Conference League.
This season, England sent a record six teams into the Champions League, thanks to their robust coefficient ranking, while France’s fifth spot faces pressure from Portugal.
“The other major leagues are not at risk,” Campos added.