PSG's Ligue 1 match against Lens postponed for this reason
What's the story
Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) upcoming Ligue 1 match against Lens has been postponed. The game was originally scheduled for April 11, but will now take place on May 13. The change comes as part of an effort to give the defending champions more time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final tie against Liverpool. Here are further details.
Decision details
LFP approves PSG's request
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) approved PSG's request to postpone the match. The decision was made after considering the club's need to prepare "in the best conditions" for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. This is a major change as it gives PSG more time between their two-legged tie with Liverpool, with the first leg on April 8 and second on April 14.
Other adjustments
Strasbourg's match also rescheduled
Along with PSG's match against Lens, RC Strasbourg's Ligue 1 match at Stade Brestois on April 12 has also been moved to May 13. This is due to Strasbourg's upcoming Europa Conference League quarter-final tie with Mainz. The LFP said these changes were made "in order to prepare in the best conditions for their respective quarter-finals."
Strategic perspective
Controversy surrounding the decision
As per BBC Sport, the LFP said these decisions were in line with its "strategic direction" to "enable France to retain its fifth place in the Uefa coefficient." This is important as it directly affects how many qualification places a league gets for Europe in future seasons. However, Lens, who are one point behind PSG in Ligue 1, opposed the idea strongly. They said they were worried about the French league being reduced to "an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some."