Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 match against Olympique Lyonnais has been postponed by 24 hours due to security concerns. Originally scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 8:45 PM, the game will now be played on Monday, October 26 at 8:30 PM at the Parc des Princes. This key duel pits the second-placed team, Paris Saint-Germain, who have 14 points from seven games, against league leaders Lyon.
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) made the decision following an order from the Paris police prefecture. The authority banned the fixture from taking place on its original date, citing risks linked to planned protests in the capital this Saturday, October 24. "The LFP acknowledges the order issued by the prefecture of police prohibiting the holding of the Paris Saint-Germain-Lyon, scheduled for match day 8 of the McDonald’s Ligue 1, on Sunday, Oct 25, at 8.45pm, and has decided, in agreement with Ligue 1+, to reschedule the match for Monday, Oct 26, at 8.30pm," the governing body said in a statement.
French authorities are preparing a "massive" security operation for Saturday's demonstrations, with troops reinforcing police forces. This context led to the alteration of the sporting calendar. Another Ligue 1 match is also affected: the fixture between Toulouse and Troyes, set for Saturday, has been brought forward to Sunday.
This postponement comes amid a climate of social tension that already impacted football last weekend. The official stores of Olympique Marseille and LOSC Lille were notably looted during recent unrest.
The rescheduling of Paris Saint-Germain-Lyon also creates a scheduling clash with the Ballon d'Or ceremony, which will take place in London on Monday, October 26. Players from the French league, including Parisian Ousmane Dembélé and his teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both currently injured, are among the nominees for the prestigious individual award.
On a sporting level, the delay postpones the direct clash between the top two teams in the table. Olympique Lyonnais currently sits in first place with 14 points, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain on goal difference. Both sides have played seven matches. Paris Saint-Germain approaches this match with a season record of four wins, two draws, and one loss, and a recent form of three wins and two defeats from their last five outings. The Parisian attack, which has scored 14 league goals while conceding 9, will be able to rely on their current top scorer, Ferran Torres, who has 4 goals this season. For Paris Saint-Germain, the next fixture at the Parc des Princes is now set for Monday, October 26 against league leaders Lyon.
Background and full detail: BBC Sport Football
