PSG Seeks Ligue 1 Postponement Against Lens for Champions League Focus

Paris Saint-Germain's sporting advisor, Luis Campos, has explained the club's request to postpone their upcoming Ligue 1 match against RC Lens. With Lens opposing the delay and the Professional Football League set to decide on Thursday, Campos stated that PSG's stance is not aimed against their northern rivals in the title race, but rather driven by their crucial Champions League commitments.

Campos emphasized that "the best decision is to play on another date," reiterating PSG's "very clear" position. The Parisian club wants to reschedule the Ligue 1 clash against Lens because it falls between their two UEFA Champions League quarter-final legs against Liverpool.

"PSG's position is very clear and the result of extensive consideration from all of us regarding the advantages and disadvantages it brings, not just to PSG, but to French football as a whole," Campos affirmed. He added, "I must also tell you that we have nothing against Lens. It would have been the same situation with any other team."

PSG's Champions League Scheduling Dilemma

PSG's request for postponement mirrors a similar appeal made for a match against Nantes, which was scheduled between their Champions League Round of 16 ties. The LFP's board of directors is expected to make a decision on the Lens game on Thursday, a request that Lens itself opposes.

According to Luis Campos, PSG would not have sought a postponement if their Champions League quarter-final first leg had been scheduled for Tuesday, April 7th, with the return on Wednesday, April 15th, allowing for more recovery time. He explained, "Initially, we would have preferred to play the Champions League on Tuesday, then Wednesday. But as Liverpool cannot play on April 15th (due to the Hillsborough disaster anniversary), we respected Liverpool's history as it is a tragic date for the club." Campos further elaborated on the broader implications: "Our idea has always been to defend not only PSG but also French football in the current context concerning the fifth European spot. Ligue 1 is at risk of losing its fifth position, and that will create problems not just for PSG but for all French teams."

Regarding the debate and public reaction surrounding this request, Campos finds the situation "normal." He concluded, "The discussion is normal, as is the petition. It's normal; we live in a democracy."