LFP adjust calendar to help PSG in Champions League | OneFootball

Just as they did for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, the LFP have adjusted the Ligue 1 calendar in order to improve French sides’ chances of progression in their respective competitions.

Last weekend’s matches between Paris Saint-Germain and Lorient, Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice, and Lille OSC and AS Monaco, were postponed in order to give PSG, Marseille and Lille a break ahead of their second-legs. Les Parisiens and Les Phocéens progressed in their respective ties. PSG advance to the semi-final of the Champions League after beating Barcelona in Spain, whilst like their Ligue 1 rivals, OM overcame a one-goal deficit in the second leg of their Europa League tie, beating Benfica on penalties. Lille were knocked out on penalties by Aston Villa.

The controversial LFP initiative, which notably infuriated Le Havre AC, whilst also drawing criticism from other Ligue 1 rivals and pundits, was relatively positively appraised after two French sides overturned one-goal deficits. There will now be a repeat in the semi-finals.

The LFP have confirmed that PSG’s match against Nice, scheduled to take place on the weekend of the 4th/5th May has been postponed until 15th May; Marseille’s match against Stade de Reims, set to take place on the same weekend, has also been postponed until the same date, which falls in between the penultimate and final day of the Ligue 1 season.

PSG travel to face Borussia Dortmund on 1st April before hosting the German side at the Parc des Princes on 7th May. Marseille welcome Atalanta on 2nd May before travelling to face the Serie A side in the second leg in Bergamo on 9th May. With Nice and Reims impacted by the schedule change, the pairs’ matches on matchday 33 have been brought forward to Friday 10th May, the LFP confirmed.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle