Paris Saint-Germain have sought to gain an additional boost for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool with a gesture which subtly shows respect for the Reds.
When PSG eliminated Chelsea from the tournament over the past fortnight, their Ligue 1 fixture against Nantes – which was scheduled to take place in the weekend in between the two legs of their European tie – was postponed in order to give them added rest for the game at Stamford Bridge.
They’re due to face domestic title rivals Lens away on 11 April, which falls in the middle of their double header against Arne Slot’s side next month, although the hosts’ head coach Pierre Sage has voiced his opposition to that match being rescheduled.
Nonetheless, as reported by L’Equipe, PSG have asked for the Ligue 1 game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis to be postponed in order to maximise their rest period between the two matches against Liverpool.
Strasbourg have made a similar request for the same weekend, around which they play in the Conference League quarter-finals, and LFP chiefs are due to meet this Thursday to determine whether or not those two domestic fixtures will be rescheduled for a later date.
The report outlined that, when a French top-flight club asks for a league game to be moved in order to aid preparations for European ties, the authorities’ inclination is to accommodate those wishes.
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Considering that PSG are Champions League holders and Liverpool are enduring a dismal season, it’s not as though Luis Enrique’s side exactly need every marginal gain they can get for next month’s quarter-final.
Could you imagine the reaction in England if the Merseyside club were to ask that their match against Fulham on 11 April be postponed to give them additional rest for the Parisians’ visit to Anfield three days later? They’d be laughed out the door.
The irony is that, by requesting a postponement, PSG could be inadvertently creating a logjam for themselves later in the season if they’ve to find two midweek dates to pencil in rearranged league games, should they eliminate the Reds and progress in the Champions League.
Hopefully the LFP in France will put their foot down and insist that Enrique’s team play Lens on the 11th as scheduled, rather than handing Ousmane Dembele and co. a greater advantage for their two-legged tie against Liverpool.
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