PSG See Controversial Request Approved Ahead of Champions League Last-16 Clash with Chelsea

PSG Handed Boost as LFP Approves Controversial Postponement Before Chelsea Champions League Showdown

When you are the defending champions of Europe, every marginal gain matters. Every extra training session. Every recovery day. Every tactical meeting behind closed doors.

So it should perhaps come as no surprise that Paris Saint-Germain pushed hard for an adjustment to their domestic calendar ahead of their blockbuster Champions League last-16 clash with Chelsea.

What has raised eyebrows, however, is that the request was approved.

With the first leg at the Parc des Princes looming and the return fixture at Stamford Bridge just six days later, PSG asked the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) to postpone their scheduled Ligue 1 meeting with FC Nantes — a match originally set to fall squarely between the two European nights.

On Saturday, the league confirmed that the request had been granted. The fixture will now take place during the week of April 20, with the exact date still to be determined.

For PSG, it is a logistical victory before a ball has even been kicked against Chelsea. For others, it is a decision that feels less comfortable.

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From Munich Glory to Monaco Drama

It’s worth remembering how PSG arrived at this stage — and why they believe fine margins can make all the difference.

Last May in Munich, they dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 in one of the most emphatic Champions League final performances in recent memory. Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring, Desire Doue struck twice, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia dazzled as usual, and Senny Mayulu added his name to the scoresheet at the Allianz Arena.

It was PSG’s first Champions League crown — a breakthrough long pursued, finally seized.

Yet this season’s defence has not been without turbulence. Failing to secure a top-eight finish in the league phase forced them into a play-off double-header against domestic rivals Monaco.

The first leg at Stade Louis II ended 3-2 in PSG’s favour after Monaco were reduced to ten men shortly after the break. The return leg in Paris was equally chaotic. Mamadou Coulibaly saw red on the hour mark as Monaco battled to a 2-2 draw, but PSG progressed 5-4 on aggregate.

It was messy. It was tense. It was not the serene cruise many expected from holders.

But they advanced.

And waiting for them in the last 16 was a familiar English opponent.

A Chelsea Reunion with Added Edge

This tie carries its own narrative weight.

The last time PSG and Chelsea met in a major final, it was the Blues who celebrated. In the 2025 Club World Cup final in the United States, Chelsea stormed to a 3-0 victory, with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro on the scoresheet.

That night still lingers in Paris.

Officially, there is no talk of revenge. Unofficially, elite athletes rarely forget.

The first leg is scheduled for March 11 at the Parc des Princes. The return at Stamford Bridge follows on March 17. Originally, the Nantes fixture was set for March 14 — a potential distraction wedged awkwardly between two defining European evenings.

PSG decided that was unacceptable.

The Controversial Request

On Friday, PSG formally approached the LFP to request a postponement of the Nantes game. Their reasoning was straightforward: optimal preparation for a two-legged Champions League tie against one of England’s strongest sides.

Crucially, Nantes agreed to the adjustment.

The LFP board ratified the decision swiftly.

“At the request of Paris Saint-Germain in order to prepare in the best possible conditions for its two-legged tie with Chelsea in the Champions League Round of 16, the LFP Board of Directors, with the agreement of FC Nantes, has decided that the PSG – FC Nantes match will be played the week of April 20,” the statement read.

From a purely competitive standpoint, the logic is defensible. French football benefits from its leading club progressing deep into Europe. The coefficient points, the prestige, the financial trickle-down — all carry weight.

But not everyone is convinced.

Discontent Across France — and England

Other French sides competing in Europe — including Lyon, Strasbourg and Lille — did not seek similar postponements despite juggling Europa League and Conference League commitments.

From their perspective, the optics are awkward.

Meanwhile, Chelsea will continue their domestic schedule uninterrupted. The Blues face Newcastle United in a potentially decisive Premier League clash that same weekend — a fixture with major implications in the race for Champions League qualification.

Chelsea currently sit fifth, three points behind Manchester United in fourth, and momentum has stalled following frustrating draws against Leeds United and Burnley.

In England, the schedule is rarely negotiable.

So while PSG fine-tune their tactical plans with a clear week, Chelsea will be battling Newcastle under full Premier League intensity.

Whether that proves an advantage or disrupts rhythm remains to be seen.

Chelsea v Burnley – Premier League

Not the First Time

This is not unprecedented.

Last season, PSG successfully requested a postponement of a Nantes fixture sandwiched between their quarter-final meetings with Aston Villa. In the 2023-24 campaign, a clash with Nice between semi-final ties against Borussia Dortmund was also delayed.

Interestingly, the additional rest did not guarantee success. PSG went on to lose both subsequent European ties to Villa and Dortmund.

Preparation helps. It does not decide everything.

Luis Enrique’s Confidence

Throughout it all, Luis Enrique remains publicly composed.

“The Champions League draw is difficult, as usual,” he said. “We don’t expect anything different.”

On Chelsea specifically, he added: “It will be interesting to play against one of the best English teams. There is no feeling of revenge. This is a different competition.”

Then came the reminder.

“We are the champions at the moment in this competition, so the problem is for all the other teams.”

That line encapsulates PSG’s mindset. They are not navigating Europe nervously. They are defending a crown.

Domestic Focus Before European Fire

Before Chelsea arrive in Paris, PSG must return to domestic duty against Le Havre.

Even with the Nantes postponement secured, Ligue 1 remains a priority. Momentum, confidence, rhythm — these elements matter just as much as rest.

The controversy over the postponement will linger in media circles. Rival fans will question fairness. English commentators will frame it as preferential treatment.

Inside the PSG dressing room, though, the calculation is simpler.

If lifting the Champions League again requires difficult decisions off the pitch, so be it.

Whether the extra recovery days translate into European dominance against Chelsea will soon be revealed.

For now, PSG have secured what they wanted: time.