Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Thu 26 March 2026 15:30, UK

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Liverpool’s Champions League opponents, PSG, will be given a rest in between April’s quarter-final legs after the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) granted their request.

The Ligue 1 leaders asked LFP to postpone their 11th April clash against second-placed RC Lens, which falls in between the two quarter-final games.

Lens had voiced their vocal opposition to the request, with Pierre Sage’s team just one point behind the European champions, but their protests have been ignored.

Decision-makers at LFP unanimously voted in favour of the postponement – the second time in recent weeks after PSG’s game in between their last 16 legs against Chelsea was called off.

Liverpool’s form has meant that they were already facing an uphill battle against the side that knocked them out of the Champions League last season, but the decision has made the prospect even more challenging.

Premier League fans up in arms after PSG decision

PSG smashed Chelsea 3-0 in the return leg of their Champions League tie last week, and, really, it should have come as no surprise.

Ignoring the obvious gulf in quality – as the Ligue 1 leaders sat with their feet up on the weekend, the Blues hosted Newcastle United and were beaten 1-0.

It is not PSG’s problem that Chelsea were beaten, but it is surely an insult to the competition that the French side are able to so easily ask their league to affect other teams’ preparations without so much as a thought.

It is not only the European champions who have benefited, however. LFP have also allowed Strasbourg to postpone their game against Brest in April, allowing them extra rest in between Conference League legs against Mainz.

Premier League fans were clear in their assessment of the decision, with several calling Ligue 1 a “joke league”.

“Disgraceful and disgusting from them”, wrote another fan, while many questioned how the league can expect to be taken seriously.

“Worst part is we [PL teams] can’t do the same because we just have too many games,” wrote X user Dan Critchlow. “PSG have definitely benefited from their 18-team league and France ditching their league cup.”

UEFA must take action as sporting integrity diminished

There appears to be little that UEFA can do to stop what Ligue 1 have allowed PSG and Strasbourg to do.

The scheduling of a domestic league falls outside of their authority, explaining why no action has been taken, despite PSG’s repeated attempts to gain such an advantage.

But decision-makers should be taking a closer look at such actions, which seriously call into question the sporting integrity of the tournament.

Part of the difficulty of winning in Europe is its presence as a mid-week tournament – clubs should not be able to sidestep that by making agreements with the organisers of their own league.

And that is not to mention the effect on the other teams in Ligue 1, with Lens now facing an increasingly packed schedule despite protesting against the change.