Since the announcement this Tuesday morning of the postponement of Lens-PSG, the first Ligue 1 match that the unfortunate finalist of the Champions League was to play this Saturday at 9 p.m., many criticisms have been raised to deplore an alleged "whim »Of the capital club and its stranglehold on French football. In a press release, the mayor of Lens Sylvain Robert did not hide his anger.
"In a world where everything would go well, Paris Saint-Germain would have won the Champions League this weekend, recovered physically by celebrating his victory, Thomas Tuchel would present the composition of the team before the departure for Lens, ironically the aedile. In reality, the PSG lost the final of the Champions League and failing to parade for its next championship meeting, wishes the postponement of the match against Racing Club de Lens to recover physically. […] Let's be serious, we play Ligue 1 Uber Eat, not Ligue 1 PSG ”.
However, as the League itself specifies in its official press release, the decision was taken "in agreement with the RC Lens club". In fact, the discussions between all the parties concerned - Lens, League, Canal + - were initiated after the semi-final of the Parisians, on August 18. In these discussions, PSG highlighted the fact that its players had been living in complete isolation since August 7, the day of arrival in Portugal, for an internship in Faro. A situation similar to that of competitions like the Euro or the World Cup which are always followed by a break.
Psychological fatigue
As explained by Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of PSG, present this Tuesday during the telephone exchange with the League, the players need to breathe and spend some time with their families before resuming. According to several witnesses, there is a real fatigue, including psychological, among the players, locked in their hotel in Lisbon, with Covid-19 detection tests every three days and wearing a mask at all times, including in inside. “People don't realize, it's very special to experience,” said a Parisian present at the Final 8.
PSG therefore considers the controversy "ridiculous". In the meantime, the Parisians who met at the Parc des Princes on Monday, for an evening with their loved ones, therefore benefit from a few days of vacation. Those who have not been called up for the international window will meet at the Loges camp next week where they will prepare for the resumption of the championship which promises to be rich with three matches in six days: Lens-PSG on September 10, PSG-OM on the 13th and Metz-PSG on the 16th.
