Last season, Liverpool fans were forced to swallow the bitter pill of drawing an uber-talented PSG side after topping the Champions League’s new league phase—a cruel twist that ultimately saw the Reds eliminated in the Round of 16 despite collecting 21 points from a possible 24.
This time around, however, what once felt like simple misfortune is beginning to look more like a systemic issue.
With the two clubs set to meet again on April 8, PSG have been granted a postponement of their Ligue 1 fixture against Lens, originally scheduled for April 11.
It’s a decision that should sit uneasily with fans of the game, regardless of club allegiance.
An integrity concern
Firstly, while this decision is frustrating from a Liverpool perspective, it would be even more infuriating if you were a Lens supporter.
This isn’t a routine fixture against a bottom-table side that PSG would likely breeze past; it’s a pivotal clash between two teams separated by just a single point in a fiercely contested title race.
By pushing the match back to May 13, Luis Enrique's squad are afforded valuable recovery time as the Champions League schedule begins to space out in its later stages.
That added breathing room provides a clear advantage in preparing for what could be a decisive domestic showdown against Lens.
This isn’t the first time Ligue 1 has prioritized its clubs competing in Europe this season, either. Much like the decision to grant PSG a postponement as they chase another Champions League title, a similar accommodation was extended to Strasbourg ahead of their Europa Conference League quarterfinal.
Taken together, these moves make it clear that the league is willing to favor teams in pursuit of European glory.
Whether it stems from a desire to shake the “farmer’s league” label and prove it can compete with Europe’s elite, or from other underlying motivations, it’s difficult to imagine the notoriously congested Premier League fixture list being adjusted in such a manner.
Which naturally leads to the next point: this decision isn’t just unfair to Lens—it clearly disadvantages the Reds as well.
Poor timing for Liverpool
It’s nobody’s fault but Liverpool’s that their domestic campaign has fallen short, but the Reds have shown genuine promise in the Champions League.
Positioning themselves for European glory would offer a meaningful consolation for surrendering the Premier League title.
Especially with Liverpool still battling for a top-five finish and progressing in the FA Cup, without any relief in the form of domestic postponements, the contrast only sharpens the frustration.
Luis Enrique will now be able to field his strongest side, at home no less, without having to contend with a high-stakes clash against Lens looming just days later.
It’s even more discouraging to hear PSG’s sporting director invoke the Hillsborough disaster—a date of profound tragedy and significance in Liverpool’s history—as justification for postponing their match against Lens.
While framed as a gesture of “respect” for the club, the timing and context make it clear that PSG’s primary concern was their own preparation and competitive advantage.
The whole situation feels cynical, but perhaps it will only strengthen Liverpool’s resolve to take on the reigning champions with all of this in mind.
It also must be said that a team that frustrates me just as much as PSG, Arsenal Football Club, have been handed what amounts to a much easier path to the Champions League semifinals compared to Liverpool’s run last season.
Like the Reds, the Gunners deservedly finished atop their group, but while Liverpool likely should have been rewarded with a more manageable draw, they were paired with France’s strongest side.
Arsenal, on the other hand, drew a Bayer Leverkusen team that has sharply declined since the departure of Xabi Alonso and other stars from their invincible season, and now face a relatively tame Sporting CP side—one that required a near-miracle to overcome Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt.
The point of this piece isn’t to cast Liverpool in a “poor me” light: the Reds will still show up and compete in the fixtures ahead of them, regardless of the subtext surrounding them.
But the question of fairness; to Liverpool, to Lens, to the fans, and to the survivors of Hillsborough—must be asked, as the outcome of the rest of their Champions League run could very well determine whether the Reds are able to salvage an otherwise disappointing season.