EPL's reluctance to help Liverpool after PSG UCL controversy explained

Paris Saint-Germain have had their Ligue 1 fixture against Lens postponed to give them a six-day break between the two Champions League quarter-final legs against Liverpool

The Premier League won't postpone Liverpool's match sandwiched between the two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, as 'they would have to do it for every other club playing in Europe'.

Arne Slot's team are set to face Fulham on Saturday, 11 April at 5:30pm, three days after the first leg at the Parc des Princes and three days before the second leg at Anfield.

It's shaping up to be a hectic April for the Reds, who kick off by facing Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday, 4 April and could encounter up to seven fixtures throughout the month.

However - unlike PSG who have had their request to postpone the Ligue 1 match against Lens either side of the Champions League matches against Liverpool granted - the Reds won't receive assistance from the Premier League to reschedule the Fulham match and provide them with an extra break.

Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol stated: "If you're a Liverpool fan you'll be thinking, 'Hey, this is not fair, we have to play Fulham – PSG are going to have six days off'.

"The reason the Premier League don't do it is because if they did it for Liverpool, then they'd have to do it for every other Premier League club who are playing in Europe. This season, we had almost half the teams in the Premier League playing in Europe (9). From the Premier League's perspective, it is a total non-starter."

The Premier League regards postponing fixtures as creating genuine mayhem and fixture pile-ups towards the crucial end of the season, with matches being rearranged due to the FA Cup and other competitions.

PSG, by contrast, have encountered no such obstacles about shifting fixtures. Following a formal request, the Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP) have confirmed that their match against Lens on Saturday, April 11 has been postponed.

This means that Luis Enrique's side, who lead second-placed Lens by a single point in the Ligue 1 standings, are set to enjoy a six-day rest between the first leg on Wednesday, April 8 and the second leg on Tuesday, April 14.

Lens had been vocal in their resistance to the postponement, as they pursue their first Ligue 1 crown for 24 years. The northern France outfit released a statement in which they referenced the 'worrying sentiment' of having the fixture against PSG shifted to a later date.

Additionally, Lens general manager Benjamin Parrot delivered a scathing message to PSG and Enrique telling them what to do. Earlier this week, he stated: "The fact is, PSG made the choice of the Champions League, like Canal+, their broadcaster. Now, if the LFP doesn't defend Ligue 1, who will? If they don't defend the continuity and respect for what Ligue 1 is, who will?"

He further told L'Equipe: "When we start the season, we have the tenth-largest budget, we build a squad and a strategy to compete in the league and the Coupe de France.

"The fact that the reigning European champions can still be involved in European competition in the spring is good news, but it's not unpredictable.

"Yet today, they're asking us to change a known schedule, for which a plan has already been established. We realise that Ligue 1 is becoming the variable used to adjust the Champions League schedule.

"We're in a situation where one of the parties involved can't have a say. It's one thing for PSG to make the request, but for the LFP to grant it at such an advanced stage of the season. Besides, would this same debate even take place if Paris had a 15-point lead? They might simply rotate their squad."

In response to Lens' statement earlier this week, a PSG spokesperson said: "The performances of French clubs competing in European competitions benefit French football as a whole, especially given that France currently occupies 6th place in the UEFA coefficient rankings for the 2025-2026 season.

"The stakes are high: securing fifth place in the UEFA coefficient rankings, which means better representation for French football in European competitions, with up to seven clubs qualifying. The success of French clubs in Europe also generates direct benefits for all professional clubs, not just the teams involved in these competitions.

"The prospect of seeing two French clubs reach the semi-finals of European competitions represents a significant opportunity for Ligue 1, both sportingly and economically."

PSG take on Toulouse on Friday, April 3 in their opening fixture after the March international break before then welcoming Liverpool in the Champions League five days later. Slot's Liverpool, meanwhile, head to City on Saturday, April 4 before making the trip to Paris for the first leg of the quarter-final clash.