To win the French football championship, RC Lens and PSG are not just facing off on the field. A showdown is now underway between the two Ligue 1 clubs over a schedule.
On Monday evening, RC Lens management expressed opposition to postponing their match against Paris scheduled in three weeks, citing their commitment to fairness, clear rules, and respect for all stakeholders.
Precedent with Nantes before Chelsea
The clash in the 29th round of Ligue 1 between the Parisian leader (60 points, with one game in hand) and their Lens rival (59 points) is currently set for Saturday, April 11th at the Bollaert stadium, between the first and second legs of the Champions League quarterfinals that PSG will play against Liverpool.
Before their victorious round of 16 match against Chelsea, PSG had successfully requested to reschedule their 26th round match against Nantes, which fell between these two European encounters. The match was rescheduled for April 22nd, as announced by the Professional Football League on Monday.
Lens believes PSG “understands the constraints”
Hoping to secure the same favor with Lens, the Parisian club officially requested a postponement from the league, a source close to the club revealed on Monday evening. They argued that such rescheduling has been regularly applied by the LFP for the benefit of various French clubs involved in European competitions. The PSG will comply with the decisions of the authorities, the source emphasized, while highlighting the importance of addressing these issues with moderation within the collective framework governing the French championship.
However, Lens does not currently share this view. In a statement released Monday evening in response to “the recent multiplication of statements, interventions, and various suggestions,” the direction of the Lens club stated that “the Racing Club de Lens, from the initial requests, has informed Paris Saint-Germain of its intention not to see this date changed.”
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Lens coach Pierre Sage had already expressed his disagreement on Friday evening following his team’s convincing 5-1 victory against Angers in the 27th round opener. “We do not agree,” he said. “We played a Coupe de France match (against Lyon on March 5th) on Thursday, then had to play against Metz on Sunday,” he recalled. “I understand that having rest allows you to be more efficient […] but it’s a club that is very successful, in a lot of competitions, so it understands the constraints.”
