The Ligue 1 leaders, Paris Saint-Germain, will now face second-placed Lens on May 13 instead of the initially scheduled date of April 11. This change was made to provide PSG with additional time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final tie against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) announced on Thursday.
Similarly, Strasbourg’s away match against Brest, planned for April 12, has also been rescheduled to May 13. This adjustment aims to help Strasbourg better prepare for their Europa Conference League quarter-final matches against Mainz, the LFP.
In a significant development, the LFP emphasized that these decisions align with the board of directors’ strategic objective to maintain France’s fifth position in the UEFA coefficient rankings. This ranking is crucial as it guarantees four spots for French clubs in the UEFA Champions League.
PSG, the current European champions, are set to host Liverpool three days before their postponed Ligue 1 fixture against Lens. The second leg of this Champions League quarter-final will take place at Anfield on April 14. At present, PSG leads Lens by a single point in the Ligue 1 standings, holding a game in hand.
Notably, Lens had expressed opposition to the postponement request by PSG. In a statement released on Monday, Lens criticized the move, suggesting it reflects a growing concern that the French league is increasingly being treated as a secondary consideration, adjusted to accommodate the European ambitions of certain clubs.
