The Professional Football League has as much ringing ears as the Real Madrid doctors, accused of incompetence for having visibly wrong knee when treating Kylian Mbappé. And we had to do our best to compete with them. This Thursday, the governing body of French football led by Vincent Labrune knew that whatever happened, it would take on the role of the villain of the story. It is true that her position was anything but comfortable since she had to decide between Paris Saint-Germain, who requested the postponement of their match against Racing Club de Lens to best prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, and the Northerners, who did not wish to touch their schedule to avoid playing 3 matches in 8 days. Meeting this Thursday morning, the LFP board of directors finally leaned in favor of the French and European champions.
The board of directors of the LFP votes in Paris
“At the request of Paris Saint-Germain and RC Strasbourg in order to prepare in the best conditions for their respective quarter-finals in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Conference League, the LFP Board of Directors has decided unanimously outside the clubs concerned to postpone the matches RC Lens – Paris Saint-Germain and Stade Brestois – RC Strasbourg, counting for the 29th day of Ligue 1 Mc Donald’s, to Wednesday May 13. These decisions are part of the strong strategic line of the Board of Directors to allow France to maintain its fifth place in the UEFA index, which allows it to obtain four places in the UEFA Champions League. These two decisions are accompanied by a proposal made to RC Lens to adjust its calendar to bring forward the RC Lens-FC Nantes meeting (matchday 33) to Friday May 8 in the event that Paris Saint-Germain qualifies for the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.we can read in the press release.
A decision which necessarily brings happiness to Paris, which was within its rights in making such a request since the LFP regulations authorize it. Further north, we are obviously very disappointed after this decision which distorts sporting fairness and which puts Ligue 1 behind the interests of Parisians. The two positions agree and understand each other. Ultimately, it is the LFP which is singled out for authorizing such a practice, which does not necessarily exist in other major European championships. In France, this announcement caused an uproar. “RC Lens – PSG: the League postpones the match, end of hellish season for the Lensois”title The Voice of the North who added: “PSG’s interest is therefore greater than that of Ligue 1. This is the conclusion that we can draw from the LFP’s decision to go in line with Paris-Saint-Germain’s request to postpone its meeting between the last two days of the championship.”
The French press is enraged
France Bleu Haut-de-France also went back up. “The match between Lens and Paris Saint-Germain has not yet taken place, but the Lens leaders have the impression that PSG has already won a half (…) Lens therefore finds itself with two weeks without a single match between April 4 and 19, but will have to string together four over the last 13 days of its season if it reaches the final of the Coupe de France. The RCL plays in the semi-final against Toulouse on April 21.” Same for 20 Minutes. “We can’t say we’re surprised, but still, seeing the decision ratified like this is pretty annoying. For Lens, for the idea we have of a title race, and for the image of French football in general, in reality. The meeting between Racing and PSG, the culmination of a magnificent Ligue 1 season so far, will not be played on Saturday April 11, the LFP ruled this Thursday (…) There is so much to say when commenting on this arbitration that we don’t really know where to start.
20 Minutes adds: “by the LFP which is shooting itself in the foot, perhaps? Because beyond the case of the Lensois, the body governing French football terribly lacks respect for its own competition (…) For their part, the Lensois can consider themselves wronged by this decision, they who will play their season with a sequence of three matches in one week (Nantes, PSG and Lyon), after a forced break of 15 days (…) Strictly speaking, the argument of “everything for Paris” in its quest for its first Champions League, last season, could be heard. But now that the Parisians have won this competition that they dreamed of so much, this tacit arrangement is no longer valid (…) In the end, this decision is regrettable for everyone, except PSG obviously. The decisive match of the final sprint will be largely devoid of its substance. Another great advert for French football.”
England is bitter
President of the Hauts-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand commented on this choice which disadvantages Lens. “This shock is now the most important match of the season in the league for both clubs. And yet, the LFP decided not to hear the position of RC Lens, which had nevertheless put forward serious sporting arguments: two weeks without a match, then three matches in eight days in a row. RC Lens was right to hold on. He defended not only his interests, but a fundamental principle: sporting fairness. Our championship deserved better. The supporters deserved better. Football deserved better.” The Northerners will have to deal with it. Unless they decide to boycott, as Mamadou Sangaré humorously suggested on his social networks. Pending the official reaction from the RCL, this decision will not pass abroad either.
In England, where PSG will face Liverpool in C1, we are bitter. This is the case of Liverpool Echo. “The PSG match is postponed after a heated controversy, Liverpool suffers a setback in the Champions League (…) Liverpool will face Paris Saint-Germain in the two-way quarter-final of the Champions League next month, but the French club will not play any Ligue 1 match between these two meetings. This means that PSG, who are one point ahead of second-placed Lens in the Ligue 1 table, will benefit from six days of rest between the first leg, Wednesday April 8, and the return match, Tuesday April 14. Liverpool, for their part, will host Fulham at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday April 11 at 5:30 p.m. and will not be able to benefit from a little rest between the two Champions League matches. In Spain, it is also the grimace soup.
Spain evokes injustice
Marca was the first to tackle. “It was unofficial…and now it’s official. The LFP board of directors approved the postponement of the match between Lens and Paris Saint-Germain, a meeting which could decide the Ligue 1 title. It did not matter much. Ligue 1, as it has done for some time, has favored giving PSG more time to prepare for the quarter-final second leg of the Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield (…) The matches will now have to be played between days 33 (May 9) and 34 (May 16) of Ligue 1. Exactly what Lens wanted to avoid. For his part, AS, who titled “earthquake in France, above Lens-PSG,” was also indignant. The LFP board of directors confirmed the postponement of the match between the two teams, scheduled for April 11. This decision sets a very dangerous precedent and has already sparked controversy in France.
Image generation in progress
A.S. continues: “for the first time in several years, Ligue 1 promises to be thrilling until the end, and the match between Lens and PSG, first against second, could further reduce the gap between the two teams (…) This announcement also creates an unfair disadvantage for the other teams involved in the Champions League. In the 5 major European championships, no similar situation has arisen this season for the clubs participating in the most prestigious European competition. Liverpool will face Fulham on April 11 and will benefit from fewer days of rest than PSG before the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final (…) Lens feels deeply aggrieved because the match against the European champions represented its last chance to realize the impossible dream of winning Ligue 1. The decision of the Board of Directors is irrevocable. The LFP, which generally leans in favor of clubs involved in Europe when such a request is made, is this time in serious trouble. There will be a before and an after, that’s a certainty.
