PSG’s Ligue 1 visit to Lens postponed

Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain’s visit to second-placed Lens, set for April 11, has been ​postponed to May 13 to allow them more ‌time to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said on Thursday.

Strasbourg’s visit to ​Brest, scheduled for April 12, has also ​been moved to May 13 to help them ⁠prepare for their Europa Conference League last-eight clashes with ​Mainz, the LFP said in a statement.

“These decisions are ​in line with the board of directors’ clear strategic aim of enabling France to retain its fifth place in the ​UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four places in the ​UEFA Champions League,” the LFP said in a statement.

PSG, the reigning ‌European ⁠champions, host Liverpool three days before the Lens fixture and travel to Anfield for the second leg on April 14.

PSG and Lens are separated by one ​point in Ligue ​1, with ⁠PSG having a game in hand.

Lens had earlier pushed back against PSG’s request.

“It seems ​to us, in fact, that a worrying ​sentiment ⁠is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at ⁠the ​whim of certain parties’ European ​imperatives,” Lens said in a statement on Monday.