Paris Saint-Germain have been granted their wish of postponing their crucial Ligue 1 clash with second-place Lens to allow more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.
PSG's trip to Lens, who sit just a point behind them in the table, was scheduled for Saturday 11 April — three days after the first leg in Paris and three days before the second leg at Anfield. The club requested a postponement, which Lens fiercely opposed, arguing that the league is being treated as an "adjustment variable" for European ambitions.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) approved the move, citing the goal of helping French clubs perform well in Europe to maintain France's fifth place in the UEFA coefficient rankings. The match has been rescheduled to 13 May, the penultimate game of the Ligue 1 season. Similarly, Strasbourg's visit to Brest, originally set for 12 April, has been moved to the same date to aid their Conference League preparation.
Lens issued a statement expressing disagreement but accepting the decision, reaffirming their determination to pursue their sporting objectives. Ticketing arrangements will be communicated individually to supporters.
This is not the first time PSG have benefited from such a postponement; a league match against Nantes was moved ahead of their Champions League last-16 tie with Chelsea, which they won 8-2 on aggregate.
