The French Professional Football League rescheduled several Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches for security reasons in light of the protests planned for this Saturday. The duel between PSG and Lyon will take place on Monday.
The planned demonstrations in France have forced the professional football calendar to be modified this weekend, with the postponement of several matches in the country’s two main categories. Among the affected matches, the Paris Saint-Germain-Olympique de Lyon stands out, corresponding to Ligue 1, which will finally be played on Monday.
The French Professional Football League (LFP) announced the decision after receiving an order from the Paris Police Prefecture prohibiting the holding of the match on the initially scheduled date. According to the organization’s statement, the match will be played on Monday at 19:30 GMT at the Parc des Princes.
The French authorities have reinforced security measures ahead of a new day of social protests, after the violent episodes recorded during the demonstrations the previous week. The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Núñez, announced the deployment of nearly 70,000 law enforcement personnel throughout the country over the weekend.
PSG and Lyon will face each other on Monday
The change of date directly affects one of the most outstanding matches of the Ligue 1 day. PSG, second placed, and Lyon, leader of the championship, were tied on 14 points, so the confrontation represents an important opportunity for both teams in the fight for first position.
In addition, the meeting will coincide with the Ballon d’Or ceremony, scheduled to begin at 18:30 GMT in London. Several footballers from the Parisian team, including Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Fabián Ruiz, are among the nominees.
Other parties also undergo modifications
PSG-Lyon is not the only match affected by security restrictions. Before the decision on the Paris match, Toulouse-Troyes, in Ligue 1, had already been moved from Saturday to Sunday.
In Ligue 2, the match between Montpellier and Red Star was also postponed until Monday. For its part, Saint-Étienne-Nantes will maintain its dispute on Saturday, although it will begin at 19:45 GMT instead of the 19:00 GMT initially scheduled.
Sunday programming could also experience changes. The match between Olympique de Marseille and Le Havre, scheduled for 16:15 GMT, was under consideration for a possible delay and transfer to the evening schedule.
Paris beefs up security over the weekend
The French capital will also face another major sporting event on Sunday: the NFL match between the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers, scheduled at the Stade de France at 12:30 GMT.
The match will be the first of the American professional football league held in France and is part of the competition’s international expansion strategy.
The coincidence of the demonstrations with several sporting events has forced authorities and organizers to review planning to guarantee public safety. New changes to the calendar are not ruled out in the coming hours.
