Paris Saint-Germain are standing their ground over a request made ahead of their Champions League clash against Liverpool despite coming in for fierce criticism
Luis Enrique during a PSG game
Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to see their clash with Lens postponed as they prepare for a Champions League tie against Liverpool(Image: Eddie Keogh - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Paris Saint-Germain have defended their request to postpone a Ligue 1 match to better prepare for their Champions League clash with Liverpool. The French side have been ridiculed for attempting to shift their match with title rivals Lens, who have rejected the notion of such a move.
PSG successfully made such a request for their European meeting with Chelsea and now want to ensure a week of rest between their scheduled Liverpool fixtures. The clash with Lens is currently penciled in for between those games.
A decision on the club's request is expected on Thursday following the LFP board meeting, according to reports in France. And in the face of criticism, PSG are claiming it is a move that will benefit all of French football.
According to Le Parisien, PSG believe that such a move is "structured and transparent, in no way calls into question the championship".
A club source is said to have noted: "The performances of French clubs competing in European competitions benefit French football as a whole, especially given that France currently occupies 6th place in the UEFA coefficient rankings for the 2025-2026 season.
“The stakes are high: securing 5th place in the UEFA coefficient rankings, which means better representation for French football in European competitions, with up to seven clubs qualifying. The success of French clubs in Europe also generates direct benefits for all professional clubs, not just the teams involved in these competitions.
"The prospect of seeing two French clubs reach the semi-finals of European competitions represents a significant opportunity for Ligue 1, both sportingly and economically.”
It was emphasised: "This type of rescheduling has been implemented regularly by the LFP in the past, to the benefit of many French clubs involved in European competitions."
PSG players celebrate
PSG have been criticised over their plans for the clash with Lens(Image: MIGUEL MEDINA, AFP via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
The information arrived after Lens had made their own position clear. They do not want to see the game moved.
"It does indeed appear to us that a troubling sentiment is taking hold: that of a French championship gradually relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some," they said in a statement.
"A singular conception of sporting equity, the equivalent of which is hard to find in other major continental competitions. Changing the date of this match today would mean, for Racing Club de Lens, being deprived of competition for 15 days and then chaining matches every three days - a rhythm that corresponds neither to the one defined at the start of the championship, nor to the resources of a club that could absorb this type of new constraint without consequence."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image