Paris Saint-Germain have benefited from multiple domestic fixture postponements this season to provide extra rest ahead of key Champions League matches, including upcoming preparations for the final against Arsenal, according to reports.
The French champions, who will face Arsenal in Budapest as this season’s Champions League concludes, have had league matches rescheduled during the campaign ahead of European fixtures against Liverpool and Chelsea.
PSG, the defending Champions League winners after a 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in last year’s final, last played on May 17, a 2-1 defeat to Paris FC. That gives Luis Enrique’s side 13 days of preparation before the final.
Arsenal, who sealed a Premier League title on Sunday against Crystal Palace, will have six days of preparation in comparison.
The difference in recovery time mirrors earlier rounds in the competition in which PSG also benefited from schedule adjustments.
Before their Round of 16 tie against Chelsea, PSG’s Ligue 1 match against Nantes scheduled for March 14 was postponed after a request to the Ligue de Football Professionnel was approved. The match was moved to April 22.
PSG went on to beat Chelsea 5-2 in the first leg in Paris on March 11 and 3-0 in the return leg at Stamford Bridge on March 17.
Ahead of their quarter-final tie against Liverpool, PSG also had their Ligue 1 match against RC Lens on April 11 postponed. The rearrangement gave the French side additional recovery time before the second leg at Anfield.
Liverpool, meanwhile, played Fulham on April 11 and had three days to prepare for the return leg.
The postponement of the Lens match drew criticism at the time from the club, which was involved in a close Ligue 1 title race. Lens issued a statement questioning the decision, saying the domestic league risked being treated as “an adjustment variable” for European competition demands.
Despite the controversy, PSG advanced past Liverpool 4-0 on aggregate and went on to secure the Ligue 1 title by six points.
PSG also defeated Bayern Munich in the semi-finals to reach the final against Arsenal, where they will again enter with a rest advantage of roughly one week.
