It is with real satisfaction that Mauricio Pochettino wrote, this Thursday morning in his office at the Camp des Loges, on the large sheet which he uses as a schedule, "quarter-final first leg of the Champions League" under the dates of 6 and April 7 (the draw will be known on March 19).
But he probably winced slightly when erasing that of the 8th finals of the Coupe de France, against Lille, initially planned by the FFF at the same time, to finally register it on March 17, next Wednesday, which is more to an unusual schedule: 2 p.m.
This clash against the Northerners comes four days before a decisive move for the title, in Lyon, Sunday, March 21, at 9 p.m.
And on the PSG side, we plague having, once again, to pay the price of an ubiquitous calendar where the round of 16 of the Coupe de France are scheduled on the same dates as a quarter-final of the Champions League.
A busy schedule
As a result, PSG, even if it has been warned for ten days of this eventuality, still hopes to manage to change the Federation and the broadcasters (Eurosport, France Télévisions) to find a date other than March 17 for the match against Lille. .
But the matter is not simple and the Parisian leaders are aware of it.
Because the possibilities are limited.
After Lyon, indeed opens an international window which prevents any programming before the reception of ... Lille, but in the league this time, on April 4.
Three days before the outward quarter, therefore, the return quarter being scheduled a week later.
READ ALSO>
Ligue 1: for PSG, the end of the championship will be completely crazy
PSG is therefore preparing for a very busy schedule.
But this is not the first time this season that the agenda is problematic.
In September, Leonardo, the Parisian sports director had already attacked the organization of French football: “The basic problem is to organize the first day of the championship on the weekend of the final of the Champions League, he had advanced on Canal +, in reference to the course of PSG during the Final 8 in Lisbon.
For me, it is incomprehensible.
Four days before the final, we were discussing whether we would postpone the match or not!
We have been doing four months without a single official match.
We play a Cup final where we get busted Neymar, then Mbappé, which we lose until the Champions League.
And the two French clubs in the Champions League (
Editor's note: Paris and Lyon
) must play extra time in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue!
Looks like we haven't thought about it.
"
Watch out for fatigue
It is therefore easy to understand why the prospect of having to face Lille next week, in the Cup, while the Lyonnais will quietly prepare for the shock of Ligue 1, hardly enchants the Parisians.
And one can also wonder in what state they will approach the European deadlines to come.
Because if South Americans are exempt from international meetings scheduled for the end of March, it is different for French and European internationals.
We remember, moreover, that at the end of October Kylian Mbappé had already expressed his physical and mental weariness.
“In my mind, and many of us feel it, it's not a new season,” he said.
It's like it's a continuation of the last one.
For me, we are in the 60th game of the season, not in the 9th.
"
