Match Postponement
The top-tier match between the French first football team Paris Saint-Germain, the title holder, and Lyon, within the eighth round of the local league, was postponed from Sunday to Monday at the request of the police prefecture due to protests in Paris, as announced by the league association on Friday.
Reasons for the Security Decision
The association clarified that its decision came following a request from the Paris police, the capital of France, which had previously expressed concerns that the match could pose a security risk, given the capital's preparations for a new wave of protests at the beginning of the current week, in addition to the postponement of the Toulouse and Troyes match from Saturday to Sunday due to the same tensions.
The association added: "We have taken note of the police decision prohibiting the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon, which was scheduled for Sunday evening." This marks the fourth rescheduling of matches over the weekend in the first and second divisions.
Teams' Status
Five days after suffering his first defeat of the season "4-2" against the Spanish team Barcelona last Tuesday in the third round of the Champions League, which he has held the title for the past two years, Paris Saint-Germain seeks to continue his positive results in the local league.
Despite his shaky start to the season, the Parisian team quickly returned to the top, and he is playing this round in second place with 14 points, trailing Lyon only on goal difference. Lyon lost to Lens after returning from the international break, but regained his balance by defeating Nice 2-1 last week. However, both teams will play their fourth match within two weeks, after Lyon played away against the German Hoffenheim "0-3" on Thursday evening.
Absences and Injuries
Portuguese Paulo Fonseca, Lyon's coach, continues to miss his Belgian striker Loic Openda, who is injured until mid-November next year, while his counterpart at Paris Saint-Germain suffered a strong blow on Tuesday with the loss of three of the team's pillars, after Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia suffered a serious knee injury that will keep him out for months, while Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos will be absent for several weeks due to thigh muscle injuries.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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