Reports have emerged from France as to whether Lens are likely to grant Paris Saint-Germain a postponement of their Ligue 1 fixture in between the two legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.
Luis Enrique’s side were given the luxury of last weekend off from domestic action, with their league game against Nantes deferred in order to give them additional recovery time in between their two European fixtures against Chelsea, which they won 8-2 on aggregate.
PSG are due to meet their one remaining title contender on 11 April, which falls in the middle of their Champions League games against the Reds on the 8th and 14th, with just one point currently separating the top two sides in Ligue 1.
According to RMC Sport, Lens head coach Pierre Sage has said that his team won’t grant any requests for a postponement by their title rivals, arguing that it’s ‘too late’ for the game to be rescheduled, although the club’s hierarchy aren’t ‘completely opposed’ to the idea if it ‘makes sense’ for them.
France-based broadcaster Matt Spiro clarified (via X) that his ‘understanding’ is that the fixture will go ahead on 11 April as planned and that there’s ‘no alternative scenario’ which would ‘make sense’ for Les Sang et Or.
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Lens are quite right to dig their heels in and insist that their game against PSG should remain on its intended date, rather than their title rivals being handed an advantage for the two-legged tie against Liverpool.
Sage’s team are still involved in their domestic cup, so finding a midweek date to suit both teams could be complicated, especially with the Parisian giants already having the Nantes game the week after their visit to Anfield and potentially going even further in the Champions League.
Could you imagine the outcry there’d be in England if LFC (or any club) were to request a postponement just over three weeks out from a fixture in order to gain additional rest in between a two-legged European tie?
If Liverpool are expected to fulfil their Premier League match against Fulham on 11 April amid a daunting schedule next month, then PSG should be obligated to do likewise against Lens on the same date.
Besides, as reigning champions and with the firepower they boast, it’s not as though Enrique’s side need every advantage they can get to address a significant mismatch.
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