Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 home fixture against Olympique Lyonnais has been pushed from Sunday to Monday night, bdnews24.com reports. The switch follows a request from local police, who cited security risks and the extra burden on law enforcement over the weekend. The league confirmed on Friday that the police request had been formally accepted.
Why it matters
The postponement shows how far France's current wave of unrest is reaching. A top-flight football match in the capital is a major logistical operation at the best of times, and moving one at short notice signals that authorities are treating this weekend's demands on police as unusually heavy.
It also creates a scheduling headache for PSG. The club's nominated players may now find it hard to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, which falls at the same time as the rescheduled match. bdnews24.com notes that the change makes their presence at the event difficult.
Police stretched by weeks of unrest
According to bdnews24.com, police have been handling various forms of disruption around several of PSG's recent high-profile matches. The request to move the Lyon game was made with the weekend in mind, when officers are already expected to be deployed heavily.
The protests themselves are driven by public anger over rising fuel prices, the standard of education and the rising cost of living. bdnews24.com reports that one estimate put the number of people who took part in demonstrations last weekend at around 800,000.
Marches backed by unions and student organisations were held in Paris and several other major French cities. Some of the gatherings were marred by violence, looting and vandalism, according to bdnews24.com.
What the table looks like
The fixture matters at the top of the standings. After seven matches, Lyon and PSG are level on 14 points, with Lyon ahead on goal difference and PSG in second place. The game will now be played at PSG's ground on Monday night rather than Sunday.
Watch for confirmation of kick-off details and for whether PSG's Ballon d'Or nominees travel to London or stay with the squad.
