Lens block PSG request to reschedule fixture ahead of Liverpool tie
French club Lens have released a firm statement refusing to reschedule their upcoming Ligue 1 match against Paris Saint-Germain, which falls between the two legs of a crucial Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool.
The domestic fixture is currently slated for 11 April.
That date falls just three days after the first leg of the European tie in the French capital, and less than a week before the decisive return match at Anfield on 14 April.
Reports indicated that the reigning league champions had formally petitioned the Ligue de Football Professionnel to postpone the game to ease their fixture congestion.
Protecting domestic sporting integrity
The northern French outfit have publicly pushed back against the proposal, expressing frustration at the mounting pressure to accommodate European ambitions.
“On March 6, the scheduling of the match pitting Racing Club de Lens against Paris Saint-Germain was finalised, formalising a framework to which everyone was then invited to adhere.”
The club added that altering the calendar would severely disrupt their own rhythm by leaving them without a competitive game for 15 days.
“It does indeed appear to us that a troubling sentiment is taking hold: that of a French championship gradually relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some.”
A successful rescheduling would have forced the home side into an unsustainable run of playing every three days later in the spring.
Liverpool aim to salvage campaign
Arne Slot’s team will be monitoring the scheduling dispute closely as they prepare for a demanding trip across the Channel.
The Merseyside club reached the last eight following a commanding 4-1 aggregate victory over Galatasaray in the previous round.
This upcoming quarter-final provides an immediate opportunity for revenge, as the Parisian giants eliminated the Reds at the last-16 stage of last year’s competition.
While their opponents battle the governing body over domestic scheduling, the English side have their own commitments to manage with a Premier League fixture against Fulham set for the same day.
Success on the continent remains absolutely vital for the Anfield club as they look to rescue what has been a disappointing domestic season.
