PSG faces setback as Lens says ‘no’ to match postponement

PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, center, heads the ball during the French League One soccer match between Nice and Paris Saint-Germain in Nice, France. (AP)

PARIS, March 24 (AP): Paris Saint-Germain wants to postpone its Ligue 1 title clash with Lens because it falls between the Champions League quarterfinal legs against Liverpool.

Lens has rejected moving the April 11 home fixture, saying the French league would be relegated "to accommodate the European ambitions of certain parties."

A decision by the French league is expected on Thursday. The league has previously helped its teams in European competitions.

Ligue 1 is enjoying a close title race. Lens sits one point behind PSG, having played one game more.

Their showdown is a thorn for Champions League defending champion PSG, which is scheduled to host Liverpool three days beforehand, and play the return leg at Anfield three days afterward.

The French league previously postponed PSG's home match against Nantes - the game in hand it has on Lens - because it fell between the two last-16 ties against Chelsea. A rested PSG routed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate.

But while Nantes agreed to reschedule, Lens sees things far differently.

"It appears to us that a worrying sentiment is taking hold: that of a French league gradually being relegated to the status of a mere variable to accommodate the European ambitions of certain parties,” Lens said in a statement posted on X. "This is a peculiar conception of sporting fairness, one that is difficult to find parallels with in other major continental competitions.”