RC Lens have made their displeasure clear after Ligue 1’s governing body overruled their objections and pushed back their title showdown against Paris Saint-Germain to May 13.
The match, originally fixed for April 11, fell directly between PSG’s Champions League quarter-final legs against Liverpool.
The first leg in Paris was to be held on April 8, and the return at Anfield on April 14. PSG’s president and CEO were present during the vote but chose to abstain, leaving the LFP board to pass the decision unanimously without the two clubs involved.
Lens had spent weeks fighting the change, calling PSG’s original postponement request unsportsmanlike and warning that the reshuffle would leave them without competitive football for 15 days before facing a congested run of fixtures.
The club’s frustration was laid bare in their official response. As reported by RC Lens in their statement, the club expressed disagreement with the board’s decision while accepting it responsibly.
The LFP justified the move by saying it aligned with their strategic objective of helping France maintain fifth place in the UEFA coefficient rankings, which secures four spots in the Champions League.
Lens, however, were not buying the broader argument. In a pointed statement, the club questioned whether the competition itself was being respected, asking whether Ligue 1 was being consistently subordinated to other interests, however legitimate those interests might be.
Lens are currently second in Ligue 1, one point behind PSG with a game in hand, meaning the postponed fixture was shaping up as a potential title decider at Bollaert.
As a consolation, the LFP proposed that Lens bring forward their match against Nantes to May 8, should PSG reach the Champions League semi-finals.
The rescheduled Lens-PSG clash on May 13 could still carry title implications, and by then, the mood in northern France may be even more charged.
