PSG wants to postpone Lens title showdown between Liverpool games. Lens says 'non'
PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain wants to postpone its Ligue 1 title clash with Lens because it falls between the Champions League quarterfinal legs against Liverpool. Lens has rejected moving the April 11 home fixture, saying the French league would be relegated "to accommodate the European ambitions of certain parties. " A decision by the French league is expected on Thursday.
The league has previously helped its teams in European competitions. Ligue 1 is enjoying a close title race . Lens sits one point behind PSG having played one game more.
Their showdown is a thorn for Champions League defending champion PSG, which is scheduled to host Liverpool three days beforehand, and play the return leg at Anfield three days afterward. The French league previously postponed PSG's home match against Nantes — the game in hand it has on Lens — because it fell between the two last-16 ties against Chelsea. A rested PSG routed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate.
But while Nantes agreed to reschedule, Lens sees things far differently. “It appears to us that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of a mere variable to accommodate the European ambitions of certain parties,” Lens said in a statement posted on X. “This is a peculiar conception of sporting fairness, one that is difficult to find parallels with in other major continental competitions.
” Lens argued that it has the 10th biggest budget in Ligue 1— way behind PSG's colossal spending power — and its smaller squad would be exposed to a hectic schedule. Lens is also playing in the French Cup semifinals on April 21. “Changing the date of this match today would mean that Lens would be deprived of competition for 15 days, followed by matches every three days,” Lens said.