PSG’S REQUEST FOR A WEEK OFF BETWEEN LIVERPOOL GAMES SPARKS DOMESTIC OUTRAGE
Paris Saint-Germain requests a Ligue 1 postponement against Lens to prepare for their Champions League tie with Liverpool.
Paris Saint-Germain is sticking to its request to postpone a Ligue 1 match so it can get ready for its big Champions League clash with Liverpool.
People have been poking fun at PSG for trying to move their game against Lens, another top team in the league. Lens flat-out rejected the idea. PSG pulled off something similar when they played Chelsea in Europe, and now they want another week off between their matches with Liverpool.
Right now, that Lens match falls right between the two Liverpool games. French media says the league will decide after the LFP board meets this Thursday.
Even with the criticism, PSG claims this isn’t just about them; it’s for the good of French football.
Le Parisien reports PSG’s message: they say their push to reschedule is organised, above board, and doesn’t undermine the competition. One club insider put it like this: Every French team in European competitions lifts the entire league. France is sitting in sixth place in the race for UEFA’s 2025-26 season, and getting to fifth would mean more French clubs in Europe – up to seven of them.
It’s not just pride that’s on the line; there’s cash and exposure, too. If two French teams make the European semi-finals, Ligue 1 gets a boost on and off the field.
PSG also pointed out that the league has moved matches for this exact reason plenty of times before, especially to help French clubs in Europe.
Lens, meanwhile, isn’t hiding how they feel. They released a statement making their opposition clear.
They said the whole thing makes it feel like Ligue 1 is just an afterthought, ready to change at a moment’s notice to suit European ambitions. They argue this simply isn’t fair, which, in their eyes, sets French football apart from other major leagues.
Lens says moving the game would mean they go fifteen days without playing, then suddenly play every three days. That’s a totally different schedule than what was agreed on at the start of the season, and it’s a load that could really mess with a club like theirs.
ACHRAF HAKIMI SLAMS LYON’S ENDRICK FOR "DISRESPECTFUL" DANCE CELEBRATION IN PSG DEFEAT
PSG lose 2-1 to Lyon! Achraf Hakimi confronts Endrick over a celebration. See the latest Ligue 1 title race updates.
PSG’s clash with Lyon was intense from start to finish, and the drama didn’t stop at the final whistle. Achraf Hakimi wasn’t exactly thrilled with Endrick, Lyon’s young Brazilian star, who decided to celebrate his goal by dancing right in front of the PSG fans after putting his team ahead in their 2-1 win.
Endrick really shaped this game, scoring first and then setting up Lyon’s second. That win shakes up the Ligue 1 standings, with Lens now just a point behind PSG. Sure, Lens has played a game more, but the pressure is piling onto Luis Enrique and his team. They can’t afford to slip now, not with the title race heating up this way.
But Hakimi’s real frustration wasn’t about losing or even the goal itself. It was Endrick’s lengthy celebration – a good fifteen seconds of dancing in front of the home crowd. Hakimi went over and let the teenager know he wasn’t having it. After the match, Hakimi explained himself: “Why did I tell Endrick to calm down? These things happen in a match. I just wanted us to keep our focus, and I wanted him to stop doing things aimed at our fans.”
Hakimi didn’t let it go there. He made it pretty clear he respects Endrick’s talent but thinks the celebrations crossed a line. For him, it’s about respect. Focus on your game; let the football do the talking. “He should just play football, especially since he’s a talented player,” Hakimi said. “But when he does things that aren’t about football, it annoys me, especially since we were losing.”
There’s not much time for PSG to dwell on this loss. They’re back in action against Nantes on Wednesday. The Lyon game took its toll, and Luis Enrique may have to rotate his squad to keep everyone fresh. Even Hakimi, who rarely misses a match, could get a rest as PSG try to steady themselves after a tough weekend. With the lead at the top suddenly under threat, PSG needs to win and fast to settle the nerves at Parc des Princes.
VITINHA WARNS PSG TEAMMATES: "UNDERESTIMATE LIVERPOOL AT YOUR OWN PERIL" TONIGHT
PSG vs Liverpool preview: Vitinha recalls the 2025 final as PSG looks to repeat their Munich dominance at home.
Vitinha isn’t buying into the hype about PSG being the favourites against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals. Sure, he’s at the heart of the team that lifted the trophy in 2025, but he’s staying grounded. He pointed to Liverpool, fresh off a 4-0 thumping by Manchester City in the FA Cup, as a side you just can’t underestimate.
“Everyone knows how unpredictable these matches are. There’s no favourite,” Vitinha said before the first leg at Parc des Princes. “It’s Liverpool. They’ve got top players, and anything can happen. We’ve got two big games ahead, one in Paris, one at Anfield.”
He made it clear: PSG will go all out. “We’ll give one hundred per cent. We always play to win, and that’s not changing now.”
Last season, PSG knocked Liverpool out in the round of 16 on their way to the final in Munich, where they dominated Inter Milan. Vitinha, alongside Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, controlled the midfield. In the final, he set up Hakimi’s opener with a smart pass through the Inter defence. Later in the match, he put together a slick move with Dembélé before assisting Doué for PSG’s third. By full time, PSG had put up a five-goal margin, the biggest ever seen in the final since the competition began.
“The feeling in the squad is amazing,” Vitinha said. “Big Champions League games like these are what we live for. We’re focused, but we know Liverpool is dangerous.”
Liverpool bounced back from that European exit by winning the Premier League, but this season they’re fighting to book another Champions League spot. Their manager, Arne Slot, isn’t getting distracted by how their season’s been going. “I don’t pay much attention to the league table right now. This is a huge challenge,” he's said. “City and PSG are very similar in their quality and style. A Champions League quarter-final is never routine, especially not against the defending champions.”
After facing PSG, Liverpool hosts Fulham in the Premier League. Meanwhile, PSG gets a bit more rest: French league officials rescheduled their game against Lens to give them extra time to prep for the second leg at Anfield in mid-April, a move Lens isn’t thrilled about.
Elsewhere, Wednesday’s other quarter-final first leg sees Barcelona play Atletico Madrid. So, the Champions League drama keeps going.
